Crusade
by ThatGirlLex4
Summary: %%2/28/2020%%16th Chapter%% After DeVoe kills Ralph and takes his powers, things go downhill quick for Barry and the rest of Team Flash are desperate to save him from DeVoe. Based in Season 4. MAJOR Barry whump! Concerned Team Flash! Kidnapping!
1. Gone

Hey guys! It's been a seriously long time since I've uploaded a story on here, but I wanted to make sure I wrote this story in it's entireity before posting so I don't leave you guys hanging. This story is based in season 4, hope that's okay! I also focus a lot on the friendship between Cisco and Barry in this one, I suck at writing romance so sorry if Barry's relationship with Iris isn't that well written. Please drop a review and let me know what ya think!

Summary: After The Thinker kills Ralph and takes his powers, things go a bit differently for our heroes. BarryWhump! ConcernedTeamFlash!

Chapter 1: Gone

Barry strained with all of his might to get to his feet as he watched The Thinker put his hand on Ralph's head, creating a sickening glow that came from the Elongated Man's forehead.

"Ralph! Just fight it, alright!? Fight it!" Barry screamed, ignoring the Thinker's remark about bearing witness. His eyes would stay on his friend and nothing more. Barry didn't want to admit it, but they had just lost again... again. He knew his next sentence would be a lie, but hope was all he could give to Ralph now.

"I'll save you!"

Ralph's next words practically broke Barry to pieces.

"You already did, Barry."

"...No..." Barry said quietly, forced to watch his friend being killed. He was a super hero, with super powers, and he couldn't do a damn thing to stop this. Before he could even fully come to grips with the reality of it, Ralph fell dead.

"NO!" Barry said, looking away quickly before sorrowfully looking back.

The next thing Barry saw was Killer Frost and Vibe coming through a breech. Barry started vibrating to phase through the floor. Within seconds he was out of the room and back in, tuning fork in hand. He slammed it on the ground, but it did nothing to the Thinker.

He knocked Barry backward, before doing the same to Cisco. Killer Frost hurriedly approached The Thinker. He put a hand to her, before the two locked eyes.

"Melt."

Caitlin appeared, shocked she was there, standing in front of The Thinker. Before she knew it, a wave of energy slammed through her and knocked her back against a wall, before she fell in a heap.

The Thinker smiled, looking around the room at his handy work, Barry being the only one still conscious. Ralph waved his hands, as waves of energy cleared a path to a downed Flash. Too hurt to speed or phase away, Barry attempted to get to his feet, before Ralph sent another energy blast at him. He slammed against the far wall a second time before landing on the ground again at the Thinker's feet.

Barry writhed before attempting to get to his feet again.

"Let me help." Ralph's voice sounded in his ear. He suddenly found a hand around his throat, and himself lifted off the ground, eye level with the face of his friend. Ralph lifted his hand and started toward Barry's head. Barry's heart skipped a beat, before Ralph pulled his hood down and smiled.

"You and I have some unfinished business."

Barry struggled to breathe as he attempted to get free. Cisco started to come to and dizzily looked around the room. His double vision landed on Ralph and Barry. Cisco looked around and also saw Caitlin knocked out.

"...Barry." Cisco struggled to get out as he started to stand. Ralph turned to him before smiling wickedly.

Barry felt himself being pulled closer to Ralph as he desperately tried to free himself, but whatever combination of powers Devoe obtained from the other metas that he was currently using was too powerful for Barry, and Barry was too weak at the moment from DeVoe's attack.

"Say goodbye to your dear Flash, Mr. Ramon. I assure you, Mr. Allen will not escape a second time."

Cisco could see the desperation in Barry's eyes, even from half way across the room.

"Barry..." Cisco blurted out before hurriedly standing. DeVoe smiled once more, before he and Barry vanished into a breech.

"BARRY!"

Joe and Iris ran into the room as Cisco stared at the spot where Ralph and Barry once stood. Caitlin finally came to as well, staring at the group in confusion.

"What happened.. where's Barry?"

Iris let a tear fall before picking up the tuning fork.

"DeVoe took him.."

Barry and DeVoe landed back in the sanctuary that Barry was all too familiar with. Barry weakly went to stand after DeVoe eventually let him go. Barry found himself slammed against, yet another, wall. But this time, he was held there in a sitting position by the same force that held him to the ground when he watched Ralph get killed. He closed his eyes, and tried with all of his strength to get free, but it was futile.

"Don't even bother trying, Mr. Allen. You and I both know that your powers are useless here."

Barry's heart skipped a beat as he heard the voice of Clifford DeVoe, the voice of the original man. Ralph was now gone... for good. Sure enough, DeVoe appeared in front of him.

"Bring back good memories?" DeVoe said, hinting at his original face.

"Why are you doing this to me?" Barry asked, unable and unwilling to hide the defeat in his voice. "Turning all of those people into meta's.. I get it. Just like every monster I've fought before you, you just want power."

Barry was about to continue before DeVoe interrupted him, drawing closer to Barry with each word.

"Such a simple thought... we've been through this, Barry. You couldn't possibly grasp what I have put in motion."

Barry ignored that and continued with his original thought.

"You got me out of the speed force, framed me for murder, killed my friends in front of me... you keep bringing me back here. You're keeping me alive for a reason. Just tell me what you want from me."

DeVoe was about to answer, before another voice rang from behind him.

"Clifford?!" Marlize DeVoe gasped, startled as she entered the room. Clifford backed away from Barry for the moment before walking toward his smiling wife.

"That's right, my love. The last meta I killed, Mr. Dibny, has the ability to shape shift. I can finally be myself again."

The two embraced while Barry focused on phasing, running, conducting lightning... anything that could free him. This time was different from the last time he was here. Last time, he could do all of those things, but they wouldn't break the barrier he was surrounded in. This time, he couldn't even display them.

"I see you come bearing gifts as well." Marlize said, nodding her head to Barry.

The way that the two looked at him made Barry feel incredibly uneasy. But his unease was past its breaking point when he realized his powers weren't working at all.

"Why can't I..." Barry started.

"Use your speed in any way at all? I'll let my darling wife explain that to you." DeVoe smiled at Marlize. Marlize smiled back and started walking toward Barry. Barry felt sweat on his brow as the pair approached him.

"You see, Mr. Allen. The last time you were here, you used your abilities to try and get away."

"I did get away." Barry interrupted her. DeVoe grabbed Barry's hair and forced him to look into his wife's evil eyes. Barry winced and felt the hair on his neck stand on end when DeVoe whispered in his ear.

"It's rude to interrupt. Now pay attention... this is the best part." DeVoe said, keeping a firm hold on Barry.

Marlize paced around him as she continued with a proud smile.

"When you used them, you may have gotten away, but you left some residual matter behind... some of your speed force. I've used to it to create a security system that recognizes that energy and blocks it from entering this area."

Barry's heart was racing. DeVoe must have picked up on how nervous Barry was, as he spoke quietly, tightening his grip on Barry.

"You heard that, Barry? No speed force here. The only part of the Flash that exists in this room is the outfit you're wearing. In this room, you are no longer the Flash."

The next words Barry heard chilled him to the bone as DeVoe finally let go of his hair, but Barry kept his focus on the two anyway as DeVoe stood up and took a spot beside his wife.

"You're just Barry Allen."

"AHH!" Cisco yelled as he slammed to the floor, attempting to vibe Barry. "He must be in the same place he was last time... I can't vibe there." Cisco said, as Caitlin helped him to his feet.

"Where is that?" Caitlin asked, knowing she was held by Amunet when Barry was taken last time.

"We never were able to put a lock on the location." Joe said, tears filling his eyes at the memory. He was terrified then. He was terrified now.

"What do you mean?" Caitlin asked.

Team Flash looked at each other. They decided as a group to not tell Caitlin that they had stopped looking for Barry back then in order to find her. They thought it might upset her and didn't want to cause her unnecessary guilt or bad feeling. She knew that Barry had escaped, but that was all she knew. Iris looked down as she gave Caitlin the short version.

"We didn't have enough resources to track you both down, so we stopped looking for Barry and focused on finding you. We thought Barry would just escape... so we never found out where he was held."

Caitlin nodded.

"Well he did escape. I'm sure he will do it again... and now we can use all of our resources to help him." Caitlin said, trying to remain hopeful as she jumped on a computer.

"If he already knows how to escape, then he should have already done it. Something's wrong..." Iris said, looking at the floor and pacing the room.

"You don't know that. Maybe he just hasn't had the opportunity yet. Maybe we can find some other way to track him." Cisco hurriedly said. He had to admit though, Iris had a point.

"We'll need all the help we can get... where's Wells?" Joe asked. Caitlin shrugged her shoulders.

"I've searched all of STAR labs and I can't find him. He's gotta be somewhere around here."

The team looked down, all thinking about where Wells could have gone. Cisco looked up and smiled.

"There's one place he could go without any cameras."

Wells tiredly opened his eyes, his body shaking. He looked around, dazed, to find Cisco, Caitlin, Iris, and Joe standing around him in his hidden room at STAR Labs.

"Wh...what happened?" Wells asked, confused, as he struggled to a sitting position.

"You're going to have to tell us... care to explain what the hell this is?" Cisco said, pointing to the thinking cap and the equipment clearly meant to transfer dark matter into the cap.

Wells shook his head before taking the cap off and throwing it angrily to the other side of the room.

"I was trying to-" Wells stopped when he saw everyone's grim expression. "What's wrong?"

Caitlin gave a sad, tearful look to Wells.

"Ralph is gone. DeVoe got to him... took his powers and..." Caitlin started, unable to finish.

Wells put his head down and frowned. It seemed so hard for Team Flash to get a win these days, and saving Ralph was one they needed. He was an asset to the team, but more then that, he was a friend. Family, even.

"Where is DeVoe now?"

"Gone." Joe said, unable to deliver the remaining news. Wells could tell there was something they weren't telling him. His heart sunk further down into his stomach when he realized Barry was nowhere to be found.

"There's more isn't there? Where's Allen?"

Cisco nodded before letting out a breath and putting his hands on his hips, almost as if he was preparing to say it for both Wells and himself.

"DeVoe took him."

—

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	2. Warning

Hey guys! Thanks so much for the reviews, BusyBunny, Anakarenzavala029, and Guest! It really means so much to me to get feedback! Hope you enjoy the next chapter!

Chapter 2: Warning

Barry kept struggling to move. DeVoe and his wife had disappeared out of his view, so Barry took the opportunity to really have a go at freeing himself. Barry tired himself out and let out a frustrated sigh.

He knew he had been in this position before, stuck in this place with DeVoe and his wife. But this time was different, he couldn't escape the way he did last time, he had no speed. He was just a human being here with no powers, against someone who had absorbed over 10 abilities from other meta humans. This was an impossible situation. Last time he was here, his friends stopped looking for him because they figured he would be able to get away himself and decided to help Caitlin, a choice Barry agreed with wholeheartedly. He prayed no one else was missing or hurt so his friends could find him... he knew there was very little chance of escaping this time. Not that he was useless without his speed, but he wasn't against human beings here. He was up against two insane geniuses, one of which had various super powers.

Barry left his lingering thoughts behind as he saw the two come back into his line of sight.

"There's no use in wasting your energy, Mr. Allen. As we've already explained, this space is speed force proof... you will not get away."

Barry shook his head in confusion.

"If you're going to kill me, I'd really rather not drag it out. So get it done or let me the hell out of here."

DeVoe passed a glance at his wife before approaching Barry with a smug smile.

"I'm not going to kill you, Barry. No... I have much bigger plans for you then that."

Barry felt a shiver down his spine. The way DeVoe had said that almost made Barry wish for death instead of whatever DeVoe's plan was.

"What plans?" Barry asked. The words came out much lower and shakier then he would have liked.

"It's a surprise."

Barry shifted uncomfortably as DeVoe came closer and Marlize circled around Barry, stopping to the side of him. Barry went to turn around to see what she was doing, but DeVoe bending down to his level stopped him. Barry worked hard to make sure his fear wasn't showing, but by the look of DeVoe's smile, he could tell it was.

"Is that a flicker of fear I see in your eyes?"

Barry just held his stare, immediately the fear left his face. He still felt it, but he didn't want DeVoe to know. Unfortunately, he already saw it, but Barry would do his best to not let it happen a second time.

"You should be afraid.. don't misunderstand. But you should also be excited." DeVoe said with a smile.

"...Excited?" Barry's face contorted into one of confusion.

"Of course. You are very lucky, Mr. Allen. Listen to this irony..." DeVoe started as he looked up at his wife with a proud smile. Barry glanced at her as well before his attention shifted right back to DeVoe, who continued talking.

"You and your... Team Flash... have done all you can to stop me. To stop the enlightenment. Now you, Flash, get to see it first hand."

Barry let out a shaky breath. He was about to ask what exactly the enlightenment was, but DeVoe continued.

"But that's not the only reason you're lucky. Everyone in this room won't be affected by the blast, so your mind will still be... technologically sound."

"Why?" Barry asked quickly.

"A few reasons. One being that it would be unfortunate for me if you didn't remember.. that you had lost to me."

"I didn't lose to you yet."

"Yes you have. Now... my wife and I need to straighten some things out in preparation for the enlightenment and you're looking tired."

Barry looked confused before he saw Marlize take out a syringe. Barry immediately started to panic and fight against the invisible force that held him down.

"Wait... wait!" Barry yelled, as Marlize bent down to his level, the syringe headed toward his neck. DeVoe got in close and shoved his forearm into Barry's face, forcing his head to one side and exposing his neck to Marlize.

"Stop!" Barry yelled, breathing heavy. His heart sunk to his chest as he felt the sharp, small pain in his neck. DeVoe moved his forearm and let go of the force he was using to hold Barry.

Barry realized the force was gone and went to stand. His vision swam and his legs buckled underneath him as he hit the floor, his heart pounding out of his chest.

"Good night, Barry." DeVoe said, kneeling over him. Barry passed him a tired, panicked glance before all he saw was black and his head hit the floor and passed out. Marlize smiled and let her fingers run through Barry's hair before she looked at her husband.

"Our plan is coming along wonderfully, my love. This... is a nice bonus."

DeVoe looked down at Barry.

"Yes it is."

Team Flash stood in the cortex, all in a silent brainstorm trying to think of a way to get to Barry, but also just waiting for him to run in the room like he did last time. Joe looked up at the team.

"Something is seriously wrong... he escaped from there last time, why isn't he doing it again?"

"There has to be something we can do..." Caitlin said, wracking her brain for a solution.

Wells was about to talk before a sudden breech appeared in the cortex. Joe immediately grabbed his gun from his holster, Iris grabbing the one her father gave her, the team looking shocked as DeVoe waltzed into the cortex. He smiled at them all with arrogance.

"Guns...? You know better than that by now. Especially with your friends Ralph powers now inside me, your bullets will simply fire back at you.. so you might as well drop them."

"Where's Barry?" Cisco said, tears welling up as emotions were running wild.

"Mr. Allen is no longer your concern."

"WHERE THE HELL IS MY SON?!" Joe said, tears running down his face, fearing for Barry's life in the hands of this maniac. The rest of Team Flash jumped at Joe's sudden outburst, but DeVoe just stood there and smiled.

"When I told your young friend, Cisco here, to say goodbye, I meant it. Detective West... you will never see Barry again. I came here to give you a warning."

Joe just stared off, hearing nothing else. His mind only focused on Barry. He knew there was definitely trouble if DeVoe was so confident in himself that he would leave Barry with his wife and come here.

"What warning?" Caitlin asked, everyone else seemingly stunned to silence.

"My plan for the enlightenment is about to come to fruition. If you attempt to interfere in any way, I will kill more people than you can count."

"What are you planning?" Wells asked.

"In 24 hours time, you won't care. But rest assured, I plan on killing no one else and no one will die when my plan is executed. There is no need to kill anymore..." DeVoe started before looking at Joe with a sick smile.

"I have everything... and everyone that I want now."

Joe felt himself go hot with rage before he charged at DeVoe, who knocked him back with ease.

"Dad!" Iris ran over to her father. Joe stood up with Iris' help. He nodded at Iris, signaling that he was okay.

DeVoe passed a smile around the room and opened a breech. Right before he left, he heard a terrified voice coming from behind him. Iris looked up at the back of the man who took her husband from her. The question she asked was one she wasn't sure she wanted the answer to.

"Is he alive?" Iris asked, the rest of the room holding their breath for the answer.

"Very much so."

"Please... I know there has to be some good in you. Please let him go."

DeVoe turned to Iris and laughed.

"You think I'm an evil mastermind trying to destroy the world? I'm trying to save the world! You and your Team Flash are just horribly misguided."

Joe looked at him.

"You don't need Barry for your plan... please. I know he's the Flash but he's...he's just a kid. He's-"

"Mine. It'd be in your best interest to forget about him. Although, in 24 hours time, it won't matter. You won't remember."

With that, DeVoe walked into his breech and left. The team just stood there... a flurry of emotions running through their minds. All of them thinking about Barry, no one thinking about his plan. Joe felt he could lose his son, Iris her husband, Cisco his best friend, Caitlin her hero, and Wells his friend/mentee/the hero who saved his daughter. Wells broke the silence.

"What the hell are we gonna do?"

—

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	3. Powerless

Hey guys! Thanks so much for the reviews and the favorites! I'm glad you are liking the story so far! Enjoy!

Chapter 3: Powerless

Barry lazily opened his eyes and saw the familiar blue walls. He sighed in defeat, hoping it was all just a dream. He put his hand to his neck and felt a light change in the texture of his skin, finding the puncture wound where the sedative went in. His stomach turned at the recognition of what happened who knows how long ago. To be honest, this whole thing was a whole new level of creepy to him. Usually, villains Barry went up against only wanted him dead to achieve their endgame.

This was different. DeVoe wanted Barry alive and his mind still in tact, something that seemed to frighten Barry even more. His powers were gone, he was in basically another dimension.. he wasn't seeing how he could get out of here. His mind floated to his friends and family... would he ever see them again? What were they doing right now, what were they thinking? Did they think he was dead? Barry had no choice but to dismiss the thought, if he let it stick around, it would eat him alive.

Barry went to stand, but found himself feeling dizzy enough to slow down. He put his hand on his knee and stood up slowly, grabbing onto a nearby wall. He looked around and was grateful to see that he was alone, in a different room that was smaller. The room had nothing in it but a mattress on the ground and one door, one way in or out. Barry walked to the door and put his hand on the knob... locked. Barry tried to force the door open with no such luck.

What he would give for his powers right now. He saw the doorknob turn and immediately backed up, maintaining a strong face for as long as he could. DeVoe walked in, smiling at Barry.

"Good morning. Sleep well?"

Barry just shook his head in frustration before answering.

"What is this?" Barry said, looking around the room he was standing in.

"A sectioned off area of my sanctuary... built just for you."

Barry felt shivers down his spine again before DeVoe but on a fake frown.

"You don't like it...?"

"How long have you been planning this? Since before you pulled me out of the speed force?" Barry said, looking around the room, fear creeping into his heart the more the looked around. DeVoe smiled.

"When I learned I had to pull The Flash out of the speed force, I didn't know who you were. It wasn't until that wormhole opened on the street that I saw who you were for the first time. You were much... younger than I thought. As your surrogate father put it, you're just a kid."

Barry just found himself more confused.

"You talked to Joe?"

"I actually just got back from visiting with your whole team." DeVoe said with a smile. Barry's face immediately turned angry.

"If you hurt them..." Barry said, walking closer to DeVoe. DeVoe automatically put his hand up and sent Barry flying against the wall, DeVoe using his powers to keep him pinned to the wall. Barry let out a breath of frustration as DeVoe closed the distance between them, now only inches from Barry, who held his stare.

"You'll do what? In here, you're powerless to stop me. Besides, I didn't hurt them. As I told your beloved Team, I have no reason to kill anyone else. Almost all the pieces are in place, and as long as no one gets in my way, no one has to die."

Barry tried to maintain his composure, but he was feeling his desperation growing by the second.

"I went to your STAR Labs to warn your team to not interfere or else..."

"You'll kill me? They wouldn't sacrifice all of those people for me."

DeVoe smiled again, looking Barry up and down. Barry swallowed hard, trying his best to calm down.

"The funny thing is that they probably would sacrifice all of these people for you. But that's not the warning I gave. I told them if they interfered, instead of wiping their minds, I would start killing them all. Not a difficult decision for them to make I'd imagine."

"I think you got a little more in your head then just intelligence during the particle accelerator explosion. Some crazy got in there too." Barry said, almost regretting it when he saw DeVoe's face turn. DeVoe got inches from Barry's face.

"You will come to understand, Allen, that this is for the betterment of mankind."

"You're just another power hungry lunatic to me."

DeVoe felt a flash of anger and, the next thing Barry knew, a punch came flying at his face. Barry winced and felt a hand around his neck. The force holding him to the wall was gone, and DeVoe pulled him closer, so much that their noses were practically touching. Barry attempted to get himself lose, but he was no match for DeVoe at this point. He was using Ralph's powers to create a hell of a grip on Barry's throat.

"Do you know what else I told your dear friends and family? That they would be better off forgetting about you... because they will never see you again."

Barry started to see see black spots as he struggled to breath while DeVoe continued.

"You should do the same. In less than a day, they won't even be able to use a calculator. Technology will be futile, and who knows if they will even remember who you are."

DeVoe let go of Barry who fell to the floor with a thud, coughing to catch his breath. DeVoe bent down to him.

"It's time you said goodbye to your old life. The enlightenment is coming... and you get a front row seat to the best show in town."

Caitlin shook her head in distress as she sat at the computer.

"I've looked everywhere for Barry's speed force signature... I can't find him anywhere. It doesn't make any sense. Barry always gives off energy, it's like he's not even on this earth anywhere."

"It happened last time too. Barry was totally off the grid." Cisco said, his head in his hands.

"Did he ever tell you how he escaped?" Caitlin asked. Cisco nodded.

"We never really got into it, he just told us he was in some kind of dimensional... nothingness where he couldn't be tracked by us."

Caitlin shook her head with worry.

"I don't understand why he isn't escaping."

"Maybe DeVoe put in a failsafe to stop him from getting out." Cisco shrugged and looked down. He felt beyond frustrated. Beyond worried. No matter how he tried to think, he found himself constantly distracted by the thought of losing his best friend.

"Maybe its more than that." Caitlin said, a lightning bulb going on. "Maybe DeVoe found a way to stop him from using his powers."

"How could he do that? You think he had a pair of our cuffs or..."

Caitlin let her mind wander.

"I'm not sure... but it would explain why Barry hasn't escaped yet. As far as I know, we are the only ones who make cuffs like that. Even the ones CCPD has comes from STAR Labs. I'm gonna run downstairs and see if they're all accounted for."

Cisco watched as Caitlin urgently ran towards the elevator. His mind was swimming with worry, he felt like he couldn't even think straight. He looked at the clock... 22 hours left with no Flash... no Barry to help. No Barry.

Joe was sitting in another area of STAR Labs, just trying to get away for a moment. The knot in his stomach was getting more and more tangled with every second. He hardly looked up when Iris walked in. She looked at him tearfully before taking a seat next to him.

"How are you holding up?" Iris said carefully. Joe gave her a sad smile before looking at his shaking hands.

"Why is DeVoe doing this? What does he want?"

"Barry made it sound like he has a thing against technology... kind of ironic since he's using technology to make his enlighten-"

"Not that. What does he want with Barry?"

Iris looked at her father, a tear drop falling from her eye.

"I don't know... I don't know but we'll get him."

"How? We can't find him, Caitlin ran through here a few minutes ago telling me her and Cisco think he might not even have his powers right now. DeVoe is a genius, his wife is a genius.. and we have to find a way to stop his satellites within the next 22 hours or we, along with the rest of the world, are going to become a bunch of mindless.. drones or something. And we have to do all of that without The Flash."

Iris slowly nodded her head, taking it all in.

"I know.. but we always do find a way. We have to stay strong."

Joe nodded and smiled at his daughter before his smile disappeared and a grim feeling entered his stomach.

"I should be the one comforting you... not the other way around. I just... i can't.. I can't lose him, Iris. I can't lose him."

Iris looked sadly at her father and hugged him.

"We won't." Iris said, continuing to hug her father. She quickly let go and left the room, her tears welling up.

The minute she stepped outside of Joe's view, she completely broke down. Barry had been in danger before, but this was different. She could feel it in her heart... The world was in trouble. Barry was. Her world was.

DeVoe and Marlize stared at the computer screen before them. Their plan was almost complete. A few more loose ends to tie up and then the world was theirs.

"We just need to wait for the satellites to charge enough with the dark matter. By this time tomorrow, the world is our oyster, my love." Marlize said with pride.

"A true rebirth of mankind. The world will be better for it."

Marlize squeezed her husbands arm. The couple then looked at the computer screen that showed Barry, sitting with his back against the wall, his hand rubbing against his brow, in deep thought.

"He looks quite distressed doesn't he?"

DeVoe laughed slightly.

"He certainly does... and he's not seen anything yet."

—

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	4. Unsafe

**Hey all! Thanks for the reviews! I would love to hear more from you to let me know how the story is coming along! Sorry its been taking me a while to update, work has been crazy. Please let me know what you think!**

Chapter 4 - Unsafe

Caitlin came back up to the cortex with a pained expression. Joe, Wells, Cisco, and Iris looked at her as she angrily sat back down.

"All of our handcuffs are accounted for..."

Joe looked confused.

"Why is that a bad thing?"

Cisco let out a frustrated sigh.

"Two reasons. One, we still don't know why Barry hasn't escaped. Two, If he really did lose his powers, now we don't know why. Not to mention the fact that the handcuffs we make only suppress the powers of who they're on. If Barry lost his powers from something other than the cuffs..."

"It could be permanent." Iris finished his sentence as she stared off into space.

"Do you think maybe DeVoe took his powers?" Joe asked. Wells shook his head.

"He had every opportunity to take Barry's powers. He wanted only the bus metas and he's got them all. It has to be something else."

"What else could it be?"

"It could be anything. A drug, a place, some other kind of tech. DeVoe could have found a way to replicate our cuffs..." Caitlin started rattling off options.

"Wait." Wells interrupted her. "If it's some kind of tech, maybe its the same kind of tech we use in the cuffs. The same kind we use in our cells to keep metas inside, except it targets the speed force and not the dark matter. If it is then maybe we can track it. See if there is anywhere else someone is using that kind of technology to suppress the effects of the speed force."

"How can you track something like that?" Joe asked, excitement building in his voice.

"It's not really the technology you track. You'd be tracking the suppression of the speed force. For example, anytime Barry tried to use his speed, whatever technology was stopping it would give off an energy. We could track that energy. If we could track it, we can find Barry."

Joe nodded.

"Let's do it."

Cisco and Iris nodded before Caitlin passed a look to Wells, who returned her gaze. Iris stopped to look at them when he realized they weren't moving.

"Something wrong?"

Caitlin hesitated before talking.

"We have to save Barry... but what about the enlightenment? That's going to happen in 18 hours now."

Iris laughed. She couldn't help it. The team looked at her, obviously confused. She looked back at them, her fake laugh turning into real anger.

"It's just hard to ignore the irony. Last time Barry was kidnapped by DeVoe, we had to choose between him and Caitlin. Now here we are again... choosing between the enlightenment and Barry. I'm not making this call again."

"Dammit... we don't have a choice. We need to stop DeVoe before we save Barry. It's what he would want." Wells said, putting his head down.

"No! No.. not again. You worry about DeVoe.. I'm tracking Barry." Cisco said, desperation wrapped around his words. Joe nodded in agreement.

"I'm with Cisco. I want my son safe...".

Iris nodded, feeling better about the situation already. With all of her heart, she wanted to work on finding Barry, but she knew deep down that saving the world was what Barry would want the team to be doing. Unfortunately, she was the tie breaker and knew the majority really should be on stopping the enlightenment from happening.

"Okay, me, Wells, and Caitlin will work on stopping DeVoe. You and Cisco work on tracking Barry down."

Everyone nodded and got to work.

Barry was thinking of a way out of this for hours now. He had been keeping track of how long he'd been here and knew the enlightenment was drawing closer with each second. He walked up to the door and put his hand on the knob, attempting to vibrate his hand enough to break the lock.

"C'mon..." Barry said to himself. Barry kept trying but nothing was working.

"Dammit!" Barry yelled as he slammed his fist against the door in frustration. Barry rubbed his hand through his hair and ripped his gloves off. His heart was pounding and his sweat was running down his face. He felt so defeated.

He took another look around the room, looking for anything useful, but the room was bare. Suddenly, he felt footsteps approaching the door and found himself taking a step back. The voice on the other side surprised him.

"Mr. Allen." The voice of Marlize DeVoe sounded. Barry just listened intently. Even though he heard only her voice and not DeVoe's, he was sure he was probably watching from a distance.

"Allen... I know you require about 10,000 calories per day. I've got your... Big Belly Burger trash here."

Barry rolled his eyes.

"Are you forgetting you took my powers from me? I don't need that amount of food anymore."

"Back up from the door... go sit on the mattress."

Barry shook his head from behind the door.

"I'm actually over the hourly visits so I'm gonna pass. Besides.. I'm not hungry."

From the other side of the door, Marlize heard a sadness in Barry's voice. She felt a ping of sympathy for him as she looked back at her husband. DeVoe gave her a reassuring smile as he urged her to continue. She smiled back before turning her attention back to the closed door separating her and Barry.

"Sit on the mattress or my husband will make you. I will not ask again."

Barry let out a frustrated sigh and knew he was going to lose this one either way. Still, he was going to lose with his dignity in tact.

"Guess he's going to have to come in and make me."

Barry suddenly felt himself thrown against the bed, stuck in a seated position. Barry tried to get up, but, not surprisingly, it didn't work. Barry let out a shaky breath as Marlize opened the door and walked in with a bag of food.

"He actually doesn't need to come in here to use his gifts." Marlize said, walking a bit closer to Barry while maintaining some distance.

Barry let out a light laugh.

"Gifts? Gifts are given... DeVoe stole his powers."

Marlize smiled.

"I suppose you're right." Marlize lifted the bag of food and shook it. "Eat up." She said, as she tossed the bag at Barry's feet.

Barry just looked away from her and stared at the wall in front of him.

"Told you I'm not hungry."

"You're lying."

"Oh, so you can read minds now? Seems like anyone can just go out and get some powers these days." Barry scoffed, sarcasm lacing his voice.

Marlize walked closer to him as Barry shifted uncomfortably.

"Actually.. I don't need to read your mind to know you're lying. Your body is still moving at the pace it always moves, your metabolism moving just as quickly. What I've built only suppresses your powers, it doesn't erase them. You're caloric requirement remains the same."

Barry just passed her an annoyed glance before going to readjust himself. He realized once again that he couldn't move and looked up. He saw Marlize smiling at him.

"It will be easier for you if you do what you're told. It's not necessary for you to fight anymore."

"Are you going to tell me what you want from me? You have everything you need, the enlightenment is only hours away. If you want me out of the way you don't have to keep me alive.. you can just kill me."

Marlize walked closer and bent down, an almost sympathetic look in her eyes as she looked at Barry. Barry noticed there was just as much madness as there was sympathy, a complex mix that made Barry's hair stand on end.

"You'll live. Your mind will be protected. You should consider yourself-"

"Lucky? You kidnapped me and are about to wipe everyone's brains so no one remembers me! You killed Ralph, you're about destroy the minds of everyone on earth and I can't do a thing to stop you. Lucky isn't the word I'd use."

Marlize put a gentle hand on Barry's, who would have given anything to speed away right then, he'd even settle for being able to move his hand away. He tried.. over and over, but he just sat there.

"You will see how much better life will be when the world is enlightened. You will be grateful. Now... it's rude to refuse a gift. Eat your food." Marlize started as she quickly turned Barry's hand around, revealing a vein on his arm. Barry winced slightly at the force before the two locked eyes.

"Eat... or I'll strap you down and force TPN through your veins."

Marlize grabbed Barry by his hair and forced his head back. Barry winced in return and did his best to recoil as Marlize whispered in his ear.

"The life you knew is over, Mr. Allen. Let it go."

PLEASE R AND R THANK YOU OH MY GAH WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT?!


	5. Fight

Sorry guys, I had a weird issue uploading this chapter. Thanks for the reviews and enjoy!

Chapter 5: Fight

"Dammit... DAMMIT!" Cisco yelled, his mug of coffee slamming against the wall in his lab. The cortex was overtaken by Iris, Wells, and Caitlin who were attempting to stop the enlightenment somehow.

Joe let out a frustrated sigh.

"Let me guess... you didn't find anything."

Cisco shook his head before running his hand through his hair.

"It's like he's nowhere! Like he just vanished off the earth somewhere! There's no suppression of the speed force anywhere... I don't... I don't know what the hell to do!"

Joe put his head down, his hope waning. Cisco looked at him, his eyes going from anger to sympathy.

"Joe I'm sorry... we'll.. we'll find him. We'll figure it out... we always do."

"I just — I can't stop thinking about what he's going through. What they're doing to him.. how he's feeling. Every second he's not here, my mind goes to imagining him with those animals."

Cisco nodded sadly and approached Joe, laying a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Mine does too. Barry's my best friend, my brother. That's why we are going to bust our asses to get him back. Barry isn't going down without a fight and neither are we."

—-

Caitlin clacked away on her computer while Iris shuffled through papers. Wells was writing on his board, each of them trying desperately to come up with an idea to stop DeVoe. 10 hours and counting until his plan came to fruition. They had been at it for 8 hours straight before Caitlin finally stood up with a smile.

"Okay... I think I know how to stop DeVoe."

Iris looked up from her papers with a shocked expression.

"What do you have?"

Caitlin nodded before beginning.

"So... in order for DeVoe to brain blast the world, he would have to be able to reach everyone. Something strong enough and large enough and that could span a large surface area. He'd have to be using some kind of tech, something he could manipulate with Kilgore's code like a—"

"Satellite." Wells finished her sentence. Caitlin nodded and continued to type as Wells pointed at his board, with various math and diagrams written on it.

"In order for DeVoe to cover the surface area of Earth, he would need at least 4 satellites. They're hackable, accessible to DeVoe, and already above the atmosphere. They'd have to be in these locations in order for every area of the Earth to be hit." Wells said, pointing at 4 sets of coordinates written on the board.

Caitlin stopped typing and looked up at the group.

"Three of them are in the correct locations and are hacked with Kilgore's code. There must be another one that's not in the correct location yet."

"Maybe DeVoe hasn't had the chance to move the last one. He'd have to go the facility that controls the satellite, maybe all this business with taking Barry slowed him down." Iris said, her mind flashing to her missing husband.

Wells nodded.

"DeVoe is going to have to resurface to get into that facility. If he really does have Barry in a place inaccessible to us, then he has to use breaches to get in and out. We know he left through a breech, so we are going to have to monitor for his breech. It's the only way we'll be able to track him down."

Iris nodded and looked at the computer.

"The satellite is registered to Mercer Labs. He'll have to go there."

Caitlin nodded.

"Now we know where he will be, but we don't know when. We'll have to keep an eye on this map and look for breech activity. As soon as he shows up, we need to be there."

Wells nodded before heading to Cisco's lab.

"I'll talk to Cisco, he can breech there."

—-

10 hours left, Barry estimated. He had spent the last 6 hours attempting to eat the food Marlize bought in. She had come 3 times already, spouting the same threats each time. Eat what she bought in or it would be forced into his veins. Barry was painfully aware that he had no control right now, and he had spent the time not eating just thinking, thinking so hard he had a constant headache. Worse then that, the stress of the situation had Barry exhausted, at the same time, he felt so anxious and wired about trying to get out of here and save his family, friends... everyone.

For the next hour, Barry just kept brainstorming. He needed to get out of this room. He would never be able to do it with DeVoe around.

He heard the doorknob turning, and found himself not being pushed toward the mattress on the ground. Barry stood up, immediately on defense. In came DeVoe, Marlize... and an IV set up.

Barry immediately tensed up.

"What are you—"

DeVoe cut him off. "Marlize and I need to step out. It will be a few hours so... that means night night for you."

Marlize took out a small IV bag filled with, what Barry assumed was, a sedative. Barry immediately felt his mouth go dry with anxiety.

"You're not giving me that."

DeVoe lifted his hand and Barry felt himself forcefully thrown onto the mattress. Barry's heart was pounding as he tried to stand again with all his might. His hand lifted slightly, but DeVoe added more force. DeVoe walked over to the mattress and sat down, leaning close to Barry.

"Unfortunately, you don't stay out very long because of that pesky metabolism, so in order to keep you asleep, you'll need a constant infusion."

Barry gave him a panicked look before looking past him at Marlize, who was connecting tubing to the IV bag, the bag to the pole, and wheeling it over to where Barry and DeVoe were.

Barry kept trying to move, with every ounce of willpower and strength he could muster. His arm was vibrating and twisting, even with DeVoe's powers trying to hold it. Barry was getting so tired, the amount of effort required to move his arm a centimeter was an immense amount.

DeVoe grabbed Barry's arm and held it still while Marlize walked over, 22 gauge needle in hand.

"Stop..." Barry said, it coming out as more of a shaky breath, rather than an actual word. He felt Marlize touching his arm, clearly looking for a vein. She must have cut the arm to his suit. Once it was clear she had found one, he saw the needle headed for his arm.

"Stop!" Barry yelled, terrified to be knocked out.

The two ignored him, and Barry immediately felt defeat and terror as he felt the sharp stick of the needle. Barry's eye shifted to his arm, the needle sticking out. Barry saw Marlize starting the IV pump while DeVoe was just looking at Barry, making Barry feel even more anxious then he already was. Marlize stepped away from the pole as the fluid moved down the tubing, priming the line, before she connected it to the IV now in his arm. The minute it entered his arm, Barry started to feel it, becoming drowsy almost immediately.

Barry looked up at the ceiling as his vision swam. He felt DeVoe put a hand on his chest.

"Don't worry. You will be out in a few moments."

Barry could swear he felt his eyes tearing up, but he was hardly even aware of anything anymore.

"Why are you doing this to me?" Barry asked, the back half of that sentence coming out slurred.

Marlize walked over and ran her hands through Barry's hair. Barry would have cringed if he could have, but his eyes closed instead, his last thought being how screwed he was and how he really didn't know how he would get out of this. More importantly, just what the hell the plan was for keeping him here.

DeVoe looked at Barry, now asleep, before looking at his wife.

"You're sure the medication will keep him out? We'll be gone for 2 hours. Enough time to overtake that satellite and reroute its location."

"It will. There's enough sedative here to take out a horse and it's got enough in the bag to keep him under for at least 3 hours."

DeVoe smiled at his wife and squeezed her hand. She smiled and squeezed back.

"It's almost here. Everything you've worked for."

DeVoe put his hand to his wife's cheek.

"Everything we've worked for. We get to mold the world into what we want it to be. We will have everything, be able to have anything... and anyone."

DeVoe finished as he looked at Barry. Marlize looked as well.

"He looks so peaceful now... it's unfortunate for him it won't last." She said, absentmindedly.

"He'll eventually get tired of fighting, especially when there is nothing left to fight for."

DeVoe said, pulling out a pair of cuffs and grabbing Barry's hand. Marlize just looked at her husband, who put the cuffs on and attached it to a ring hanging on the wall. DeVoe let his stare linger on Barry a moment longer before standing and extending a hand to his wife.

"Precautionary measures. Let's go change the world."

—-

Read and Review!


	6. Family

Hey everyone! Sorry this took a while! I hope you guys are enjoying the story so far, I see people are reading but I'm not getting too many reviews, so I hope you like it! We find out what DeVoe is after this chapter, so read read read!

Chapter 6 - Family

Caitlin ran into Cisco's lab, urgency lacing her footsteps. Cisco and Joe turned around at the sound of her heels clacking into the room. Her excited nature slipped away when she saw the look on their faces.

"No luck with Barry?" She asked, already knowing the answer.

Joe looked down while Cisco just rubbed his tired eyes. Caitlin nodded her head before speaking.

"I think we've figured out a way to stop DeVoe, and maybe even help Barry."

Cisco and Joe immediately looked up.

"What do ya got?" Joe said, his eyes suddenly wild with interest.

"We know zwhere DeVoe is going next and what he is trying to do. We need to stop him, and in order to do that, we need vibe there... quickly. He's probably already—-"

Cisco interrupted.

"Say no more. Where do we need to go?"

Caitlin nodded and walked toward the computer in the cortex, Joe and Cisco close behind her. She pointed at a location on the map on the computer.

"He's headed here to reroute the satellite. We should go." Caitlin said. Iris nodded and got her things, Wells grabbed a gun and nodded in their direction.

Joe put his hand out.

"Whoa whoa... we can't all go.. what if something goes wrong?" Joe said, looking at Iris. Iris almost laughed.

"Don't look at me. I'm going. Barry's my husband."

"He's my best friend and I have to get us there so..." Cisco said.

"He saved my life, I owe him one." Caitlin said. Everyone just looked at her like she was insane.

"In that case, shouldn't you probably owe him like.. fifty?" Wells said, sarcasm lacing his voice. Caitlin rolled her eyes.

"I'm going." Caitlin said. "He's my best friend too."

Wells nodded at the group.

"I'll stay behind."

A sudden beeping stopped the conversation. Wells ran to the computer.

"He's there. Go."

Cisco quickly opened the breech as himself, Joe, Caitlin, and Iris jumped in. Seconds later, they were at the Lab entrance. Unfortunately for them, DeVoe and Marlize were nowhere to be found.

"They must already be inside." Iris said, pulling out a gun, Joe doing the same. They were about to walk in before Cisco suddenly stopped.

"Cisco?" Caitlin said. Cisco just shook his head and he felt an impulse go through his body.

"I feel DeVoe's breech. The residual energy." Cisco said, feeling stunned for a few moments.

Caitlin looked at the lab entrance with urgency.

"We need to go... we need to stop him before he gets to that satellite."

The next voice they heard chilled them to the bone.

"You're a bit late for that, Miss Snow." The voice of Clifford DeVoe sounded behind them.

They all turned around, dreading the look on DeVoe's and Marlize's faces. They stood there with grins on their faces.

"There's no way you could have rerouted the satellite that quickly." Caitlin said, fear in her eyes. How is this possible..

"Not if your doing it manually. I, however, am using Kilgore's ability to hack into the system. Takes only a few minutes. You all seem to forget, I'm aware of all possible outcomes. You'll never surprise me... or stop me."

The Team looked at each other, this was looking grimmer by the minute. Iris felt her tears well up in her eyes before lowering her gun slightly.

"Please... if you're going to do this, just let us have Barry back. Don't make us go through this without him. Don't make him go through it by himself."

DeVoe gave her a false, sympathetic smile.

"Oh, Iris. Mr. Allen is not your concern anymore. Besides, I've decided to keep Barry's brain in tact. And he won't be alone... he'll have me and my darling wife." DeVoe said, appreciating his own humor as he saw the sadness emitting from the group.

Joe shook his head in disgust.

"You son of a bitch... give me my son back."

DeVoe shook his head and smiled before looking up at Joe.

"He's not your son anymore. And in just 6 hours, you won't care. By the way, you've all gone back on our agreement."

Irish shifted uncomfortably.

"Agreement?"

"I told you what would happen if you interfered. Are you all willing to sacrifice thousands of others for young Mr. Allen?"

Caitlin shook her head.

"This isn't just about Barry. You're talking about wiping the knowledge from the world... what gave you your abilities, what gave us medicine, agriculture, communication. You're going to set the world back thousands of years..."

"This modern world also destroyed our health with drugs, destroyed our agriculture with pesticides, brought our face to face communication down to the small devices in the palms of our hands. We need to build again from the ground up, this technology reworked by someone who can guide our knowledge the way it was meant to be used."

Cisco put his hands on hips. The arrogance... he thought.

"And who's going to do that? You?"

DeVoe grabbed his wife's hand and smiled.

"Us..." DeVoe looked at the group in front of him. "You're all horribly misguided. I'm not usually one to not deliver on a threat, but I'm going to let your lapse in judgement slide. Apparently, threatening everyone on Earth isn't enough to keep you from interfering so... get in my way again, I will take it out on Barry. You wouldn't want to put the poor kid through anything more would you? He's already been through enough..."

DeVoe finished with a smile, obviously looking to strike a nerve. By the looks on the faces of Team Flash, he got the reaction is was looking for. DeVoe put his hand out, ready to breech out of here.

"PLEASE... please. Don't hurt him.. please." Joe said, desperation pouring from him.

DeVoe turned around.

"That's up to you, detective. And Mr. Allen of course... he hasn't been very cooperative so far. Still thinks he's got something to fight for. That'll all go away in a few hours time. In the mean time... he will have to be taught."

That answer made Joe's stomach turn.

"Please let us see he's alive." Cisco said.

DeVoe laughed, turning around once more.

"There's no point. It won't do you any favors."

"IT'LL LET US SEE HIM ONE MORE TIME!" Cisco yelled, tears brimming his eyes, his heart pounding. Cisco felt and looked hysterical.

DeVoe ignored him and was about to leave before Marlize but a hand on her husbands arm.

"Let them say goodbye, darling. More importantly, let them see who's in control."

DeVoe shrugged and nodded, before pulling out his cellphone. The camera's in the room Barry was in had a connection to DeVoe's phone. DeVoe pulled up the feed and walked over to Cisco, showing the screen to him. Joe and the rest walked over as they saw Cisco's eyes well up even more. Cisco felt himself reaching for the phone, his finger grazing the screen before DeVoe bent his elbow slightly and put his finger up, wagging it mockingly at Cisco.

The group looked floored... Barry was out cold on a mattress, an IV in his arm. Even asleep, Barry looked scared and distressed... restless even.

"What is that... " Iris said, referring to the bag hanging on the IV pole. Iris could hardly talk, her mouth immediately going dry at the sight of her husband.

"Chest rise. Proof of life. Now, we need to go. The world is waiting. We'll tell Barry you said hello." DeVoe said, opening a breech and jumping through it, Marlize by his side.

Team Flash just stood there in a stunned silence. Iris just stared off, her mind on Barry's still, uneasy form.

"He looked so..."

Joe put an arm around her shoulder, his stomach in knots at the state of his son.

"I know, honey. I know..."

—-

Barry felt nauseated as his eyes slowly started to open. Woozy was an understatement.. he winced as he tried to move his arm. He immediately felt himself go more alert when he saw the cuff on his wrist.

"Had to make sure you didn't get up and go wandering around." DeVoe said, smiling at Barry from the IV pole, where Marlize also stood as well.

Barry let out a shaky breath before trying to pull the cuff out of the rung on the wall. He put his head down in defeat at the futile attempt.

"Wasn't that the point of the —" Barry started, absentmindedly pointing to the IV bag now hanging nearly empty on the pole. Barry felt himself spinning, whatever was in that IV bag still making him feel really out of it.

DeVoe smirked and sauntered over.

"Can't be too careful... you did manage to escape once."

Barry put his hand to his forehead and squinted his eyes. After a wave of dizziness passed, he went on his elbows at an attempt to sit up. Despite the room spinning, he managed to put his back against the wall and let out an exhausted breath. On top of how little he was eating and the amount of sedative coursing through his veins, and not to mention the stress of the situation he was in AND the fact that he was really starting to believe he couldn't stop DeVoe, Barry felt absolutely exhausted.

"I want you to wipe my mind." Barry said, his eyes slowly moving to look in DeVoe's.

Marlize raised her eyebrows before looking at her husband. DeVoe smiled at her before looking humorously at Barry.

"Uh-oh... is this you..finally giving up?"

Barry shook his head.

"No. I'm not going stop trying to stop you... but if I can't, just wipe my mind like everyone else's."

DeVoe laughed.

"You won't — you can't.. stop me. And when you don't stop me, you will stay just as you are."

"Why?"

"Because... it's more fun when you can remember that you've lost. It matters more when you can see that what you've been trying to stop will be an improvement on the life you knew."

Barry shrugged.

"And that's it? You just want me to know I lost? Just want me to know I was wrong? Why do I feel like there's more to it than that?"

"Why don't you tell me?"

Barry let out a light, tired laugh himself.

"So what are you going to do... keep me here until you wipe everyone's brains, explain why its better and then kill me?"

DeVoe walked closer, stopping next to the side of the mattress.

"No. You will see the progress of mankind. You can't be told why its better, you need to see it be better."

Barry shook his head, a slightly humored look on his face.

"So... what? You're just going to keep me here forever?"

DeVoe just smiled at him, as Barry's expression went immediately grim.

"You can't do that."

"I can't? You have no powers... your friends won't find you in the 5 hours they have left. You've been trying for almost a day to get out of here and you know you can't. Look at you, even right now, you can hardly sit up straight."

Barry looked passed DeVoe to Marlize, who was standing in the doorway, listening intently.

"You were a good person, once. Even if you think he's doing the right thing, you know that keeping me here to watch it all is... cruel. Making me watch my family not even recognize me is wrong."

DeVoe let out a hearty laugh before patting Barry's knee, who weakly moved his leg.

"Are you trying to reach her? Oh, Barry... this was mostly her idea."

Barry just looked confused and disappointed.

"He's telling the truth. He wanted to kill you after the enlightenment. I convinced him it would be better if you lived."

Barry shook his head.

"I don't want to live like that. If I lose, I lose. You win, what do you care if I see it all after or not?"

Marlize walked closer as well. Barry found himself getting more anxious with each second as the conversation progressed.

"I don't care. Those are the reasons I used to convince my husband to spare your life."

Barry wore a worried expression.

"Then, why do you want me alive?"

Marlize took her husbands hand before the two looked at Barry. Barry's comfort level dropped from a 0 to a -10 in half a second. For the first time, he was actually regretting asking a question out of complete terror of the answer.

"The world my husband is creating is a fresh start. Our family deserves a second chance."

"Your family..? What does that have to do with —"

"Right after we got married, I got pregnant. It was.. one of the happiest moments of my life. Everything was perfect. A few months later... it all went south. One night I felt an unbelievable amount of pain... a rush of blood. I knew right then I had lost the baby."

Barry's heart sunk right down to his stomach.. he was starting to pick up where this was going.

"When my husband pulled you out of the speed force and I saw you... you were so much younger than I had imagined. Over time, I saw your strength and will. Your loyalty. I knew, even then, that if I had my son, I would hope he would end up like you. Of course you're horribly misguided, but you've got potential for great things. With proper direction."

DeVoe squeezed his wife's hand before looking at Barry and studying his reaction.

"The world is going to get a second chance. The three of us? Now we get a second chance at a family." Marlize finished.

Barry felt his mouth go dry. He honestly couldn't believe what he was hearing. This wasn't just the villain of the moment, these people were certifiable.

"Look.. I'm really sorry about what happened to you. But, I can't replace what you lost. You can't rip me from my life and expect it to fix what's broken your family. I have a family."

DeVoe shook his head.

"Not a real one. Reverse Flash and Zoom took your parents... fate took our son. It was meant to be."

DeVoe squeezed Barry's knee, who was too stunned to notice, before getting up to leave. Marlize placed a gentle hand on his cheek. Barry hardly noticed that either, her voice finally breaking through.

"You'll see how much better life will be." She said, before she got up to leave as well. Before they walked out, Barry spoke.

"You realize how crazy you are, right? What you want...I'll never go along with it. Never."

DeVoe smirked and gave Barry a dangerous, threatening look.

"You'll learn."

—

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	7. Break

Wow guys! Thanks for the reviews! I'm glad I managed to surprise you :) Please keep reviewing and let me know what ya think! Also, new Flash tomorrow! :D!

Chapter 7: Break

To say Team Flash was at a loss for words was an understatement. By the time they had reached STAR Labs, Wells had been standing at the computer, eagerly awaiting their return. He could tell by the looks on their faces when they walked in the cortex, something had gone wrong.

"What happened? Did you stop him from overtaking the satellite?"

Caitlin shook her head.

"No. He got away with it. He did it so much faster than we thought he would with Kilgore's powers."

Wells put his head down.

"What about Barry... any update?"

Joe just looked down and walked away. Wells could tell it was bad, looking at a distraught Iris.

"Is... is he..."

"No." Cisco sighed. "No...DeVoe's got him drugged... saw a video."

Cisco said before quickly following Joe's lead and leaving the room, leaving a stunned Wells behind.

Cisco walked into his lab and started pacing around, his mind overrun with the image of Barry in his head. He had seen Barry hurt before, really hurt. Zoom breaking his back and parading him around Central City rings a very loud bell. But he'd never seen Barry this helpless before.

He walked over to his computer and looked at his background and saw a picture of himself, Caitlin, and Barry, smiling without a care in the world.

"That's a great one." Caitlin said, a sad smile on her face. Cisco let out a light laugh, his tears welling up preventing him from wanting to turn around.

"You remember the day he woke up from his coma? From the minute he opened his eyes, there was just.. kindness. Ever since then he's just dealt with so much less than he deserves, but he always carried that burden just fine."

Caitlin just nodded her head, letting Cisco let it out, her mind constantly on Barry as well.

"You know what's scary? How little I care about the enlightenment DeVoe has planned. All I want to do is save him. After that... I don't know if we could stop DeVoe but, at least he would be here. We would either stop him or fail... but we'd have our family back."

"We'll get him back... I know we will." Caitlin said, putting a hand on his shoulder.

Cisco nodded, but didn't really believe it. Caitlin squeezed his shoulder before heading back to the cortex, desperate to make progress somewhere. Cisco took one last look at his background on the computer screen before the computer went black and went to sleep. Cisco sighed and walked away, something red grabbing his eye.

Cisco laughed and walked over to it, Barry's original red emblem from his very first flash suit. With a sad smile, he picked it up.

Suddenly, a headache. A burst of light, and Cisco was somewhere else. Foggy. He looked around... a room, blue. Suddenly he saw him. Barry was there...

"Am I vibing right now?" Cisco said to himself. His eyes went to Barry, awake and looking... troubled.. to say the least.

Barry was sitting on a mattress in the corner of the room, his hand cuffed to a ring sticking out of the wall. Barry was struggling with the cuffs, desperately trying to vibrate, pull, squeeze his wrist out... anything. Cisco saw Barry putting his hand to his head.. headache? He saw the IV pole with an almost empty bag and it made his stomach turn. Propofol. His eyes looked sympathetically at his best friend.

He walked closer and saw the desperation in Barry's eyes... he looked afraid, an emotion Cisco wasn't used to seeing from Barry.

Barry let out a shaky breath, his eyes watering. Barry rested his head along the back wall and tried his best to stop the tears from falling.

"Barry..." Cisco said quietly, not to anyone in particular, but just out of sadness and sympathy for his friend.

Barry immediately looked around.. confused. Cisco followed suit, looking for what had grabbed Barry's attention.

Cisco's vibe started to flicker out.

"No.." Cisco said, not wanting to leave. Barry looked around again.

"...Cisco?" Barry said, going to stand before his wrist pulled him down. Barry looked desperately around the room.

Cisco's heart nearly stopped. Barry heard him? Barry heard him!

The vibe flickered wildly, the distraction stopping him from holding on to his vibe. No, no, no...

"NO!" Cisco yelled, before he realized he was back in his lab, clutching Barry's red emblem.

Team Flash came running in at the sound of his yell. They ran to him as he fell to his knees, this vibe taking a lot out of him.

"Cisco! What's wrong?!" Iris said, bending down beside him. Cisco desperately grabbed her arm, emotion pouring from him.

"Barry... I vibed Barry."

Joe shook his head.

"How? I thought... I thought you couldn't vibe there." Joe said, his eyes desperately looking at Cisco.

"I don't know... but there's more. He.. he heard me."

"Heard you?"

"I said his name.. he heard me. Said my name.. he heard my voice. I.. have to go back there. I have to back!" Cisco said, quickly standing, breathing heavy and sweating.

Still clutching the red emblem, Cisco closed his eyes and concentrated. Flashes of blue, a massive headache.. then nothing.

"SHIT!" Cisco said, slamming his fist on the table.

Wells shook his head.

"It's not going to work right now, you're too tired. You need to recharge... look at you, you can hardly stand up."

Cisco grabbed Wells' shoulders.

"He heard me. I have to get back there I have to tell him we're coming!"

"And you will... but you just need to take an hour or so to get your strength back. We still have 4 hours. This is good news... we have a way to reach Barry! Rest for his sake and yours. Please."

Cisco put his hands on his hips.

"You didn't see him, he's desperate and terrified. We have to get him out, we have to help."

—

Barry was still looking around the room. He could swear he heard him. The presence was gone, but he knew he had heard it. Cisco.

His breath hitched in his throat as the door opened, still amped up from Cisco's voice. Barry immediately tried to calm himself down as to not give DeVoe any suspicion anything was afoot.

DeVoe walked in, looking around the room before his eyes settled on Barry.

"Looking for something?"

Barry shrugged and shook his head.

"No."

DeVoe's expression grew serious before he approached Barry, stopping at the foot of the bed. Barry just gulped and shifted.

"Don't lie.. it's very unbecoming."

"I'm not."

DeVoe angrily grabbed his wrist, Barry did his best to remain calm before he realized DeVoe had undone his cuff. Barry looked at his now free wrist in confusion before looking at DeVoe.

"Get up."

Barry hesitated. DeVoe reached over and grabbed his hood, pulling him to a standing position. Barry passed him a dirty look before DeVoe's eyes shifted toward the door.

"Walk."

"Why?" Barry asked, nervous.

"I'm doing my best to ask nicely. Don't forget I can fling you out of this room, so.. do yourself a favor and cooperate."

Barry slowly started out of the room, but he ended up being shoved out as DeVoe hurried him along. Barry walked into the main area of DeVoe's lair... his eyes drawn to the computer screen in the middle of the room. He saw numerous satellite feeds with various coordinates on the screen. When he saw a countdown going on the screen, he finally had a real idea of how long he'd been there. 3 hours and 47 minutes remaining until the enlightenment. He'd been here almost 21 hours.

DeVoe roughly grabbed his shoulder and shoved him in front of a chair in front of the monitors.

"What are you —"

DeVoe punched a few buttons before the room Barry was in displayed on the screen in front of him. Barry felt confused at first before he realized it.

"You have cameras in there?"

DeVoe just ignored him and rewound the footage, showing Barry with his head against the wall in desperation before suddenly looking around the room. Barry shifted nervously as he looked at the screen. A rough hand on his shoulder snapped him from trying to come up with a story in his head. DeVoe bent down from behind him and whispered in his ear.

"Unfortunately.. these cameras don't have sound. But you seem to be snapped to attention and then you mouth something... care to share?"

"I didn't say or see anything... I was looking for a way out and thought I heard the door open."

DeVoe smirked and laughed in Barry's ear, sending a shiver down Barry's spine. DeVoe circled around Barry and landed in front of the chair, leaning in close.

"I know I said I wouldn't kill you.. and the enlightenment is inevitable no matter what you do. But I will make the remainder of your life miserable if you don't start cooperating with me. Tell me what you did in that room. Now."

Barry held his stare.

"Nothing."

DeVoe stood up, an angered expression on his face. He lifted his hand and slammed Barry into the wall. Barry hit the ground with a thud, a fresh cut appearing above his eyebrow from some of the debris from the wall.

Marlize walked in and saw Barry struggling to get to his feet.

"What's happened?"

DeVoe walked up to Barry and kicked him in the side. With a grunt, Barry fell back down, clutching his ribs.

"Mr. Allen here had some sort of interaction in his room and refuses to tell me what it was."

Barry shook his head and spoke with a pained voice.

"You have camera's in the room! You can see for yourself nothing was there."

Suddenly, Barry heard a deafening noise in his ears. He looked up and saw DeVoe sending sound-waves blasting at him, powers he received from Izzy Bowin. The sound became louder, and Barry's hands shot to his ears.

"TALK!"

Barry said nothing. The noise got more intense and Barry could not longer stifle his scream.

"TALK NOW!"

Barry said nothing, just winced with various yells and growls thrown in. Marlize shook her head while DeVoe finally stopped the soundwaves. Barry had sweat dripping down his forehead and his breathing was rapid and shallow.

Barry removed his hands from his ears and saw a bit of blood on them. He could feel his heart pounding a mile a minute as DeVoe bent down to his level. Barry gave him a pained expression as DeVoe pulled him into a sitting position, keeping a hold on his hood.

"You will tell me what happened in that room."

Barry let out a shaky breath.

"No—Nothing happened." Barry said, exhausted.

"If something did happen, you wouldn't tell me. I can continue trying to make you tell me, then you eventually will tell me... but why put yourself through more pain? Why don't we just skip to the 'you telling me' part."

Barry didn't bother answering this time. He saw Marlize walk away and over to a table before he turned his attention back to DeVoe. DeVoe leaned close to Barry, who weakly put his arms out, but he was way too weak and DeVoe just pushed past him and whispered in Barry's ear.

"After the enlightenment occurs, ironically, you're going to be the one who needs to be taught the most. Taught who is in charge."

Barry felt himself shaking, he wasn't sure if it was because he was exhausted, malnourished, or afraid. He tried to push DeVoe away again, who was able to use one arm to push Barry's hands away.

"This is just the start of what I have planned for you, Barry. My darling wife wants to keep you alive for different reasons than I do. She wants to keep you."

Barry felt unbelievably uncomfortable and so... so tired. In a lot of pain.

"I am going to BREAK you."


	8. Vibe

Wow guys! Thanks so much for the reviews! Who watched the Flash yesterday?! Goooood stuff, but I gotta tell ya, I'm over Nora yall. She's just sucking up so much air time, I need more Barry in my life lol. Anywhooo, enjoy!

Chapter 8 - Vibe

Team Flash was in the cortex, everyone except Cisco who was sitting in his lab, twiddling Barry's emblem in his hands. Caitlin was clacking away on the computer and slammed her fist in frustration.

"Two hours left... there's no way I can hack all four satellites in that much time. I don't even know if I'll be able to hack one. Kilgore's code is complicated."

Wells sighed in frustration, before an apparent light bulb went on.

"What if you don't need to hack any of them?"

Caitlin rolled her eyes.

"Yeah.. maybe we can just do nothing and pretend it's not happening." Caitlin said, sarcasm lacing her tone. Wells put his hands on his hips.

"Not what I meant. You don't need to hack the satellites if you can hack the computer that controls them. Hack into DeVoe's computer and then hack each satellite using his computer.. it will be easier since he's already accessed them."

Caitlin looked at him before passing him a sorrowful smile.

"Sorry for snapping at you. I don't have the skills to hack DeVoe's computer, even if we could search for Kilgore's code."

"Someone else might." Iris said, as she grabbed her cellphone and ran out of the cortex.

Wells and Caitlin looked at each other before each of them shrugged.

—

Joe walked into Cisco's lab. Cisco looked up and offered Joe a half smile, still grasping Barry's emblem in his hands, his knuckles white.

"Holding onto that emblem pretty tight."

Cisco nodded and looked at it.

"It's the only connection I have to him right now. Not half as good as the real thing but... it's something." Cisco said, letting out a sad smirk.

Joe let out a light smile.

"How was he when... you saw him?"

Cisco's small smile turned into a large frown. He looked down at the emblem again, his tears filling his eyes, blurring his vision.

"Tired... scared. Joe, how are we going to get him back?"

Joe looked at Cisco before taking a seat next to him.

"An hour ago, we couldn't see or find Barry at all. Now, we can see him, talk to him. He can hear us. That's a good thing, it's progress."

"But we only have a couple hours left, Joe. Then we're not going to be able to save Barry because we won't even remember him. We're running out of time, no one cares about progress if it moves too slow to make a difference."

Joe nodded in understanding. He could understand why Cisco was feeling this way because he was feeling the same, he was just doing his best to hide it.

"You feeling up to trying again?" Joe said. Cisco looked at him.

"I want to try with all of my energy. It takes a long time to build up my energy again, for whatever reason, it takes a lot out of me to vibe Barry. I may only be able to do it one more time before the enlightenment, I want to save it... just in case."

"Just in case?"

Cisco looked down with tears. Joe put a hand on his shoulder.

"In case you have to say goodbye?" Joe continued. Cisco looked up with a sad expression.

"We can't leave him without him knowing we were trying... without hearing a goodbye from someone who loves him."

—

Caitlin continued trying to track down Kilgore's signature, but she kept hitting road blocks.

"Dammit! I can't find it." Caitlin said, looking at Wells in frustration. "An hour and a half to go and we've done nothing to stop him, nothing to save Barry, nothing!"

Wells came over and put a hand on her shoulder and gave it a comforting squeeze.

"Easy... we just have to keep trying."

"My hacking skills suck..." Caitlin said, rubbing her tired eyes.

"Maybe I can help with that." Felicity Smoak said with a smile as she walked in, Oliver close behind her.

"Felicity!" Caitlin said with a small smile, going over to hug her friend.

"Iris told me you guys need some help tracking some kind of computer code, sounded like an emergency so we figured we'd lend a helping hand." Felicity said with a smile, before realizing everyone in the room looked pretty grim.

Oliver walked in and hugged Caitlin before sending a nod at Wells. Cisco and Joe walked in, both teary eyed.

"Hey... Cisco." Oliver said, noticing he was clutching Barry's emblem before he looked at Joe and noticed how distraught everyone looked.

"What's going on?" Felicity asked.

No one even knew where to begin, so no one bothered answering. They all just hoped someone else would answer her. Oliver looked around the room before he noticed someone very important missing from the room.

"Where's Barry?"

Iris tearfully looked at the pair.

"He's... missing."

"Missing. Barry? How long?" Oliver asked.

"...22 hours." Wells answered. Oliver suddenly felt himself go angry and sad all at once. He looked at the group in disbelief.

"Barry's missing for almost a full day and you don't think to call me until now?! What the hell were you waiting for?!"

"Oliver..." Felicity said. The rest of the group just looked at him, some of them with looks of guilt, most of them just keeping up with the sad mood of the moment.

"If we called you every time Barry was in trouble, you'd never be around to save Star City." Wells answered.

"Yeah, he takes a few bumps and bruises, he can heal. Fast. Missing for a day? Clearly he doesn't have his powers and you can't find him." Oliver responded.

"Well we called you now... so you want to help or you wanna yell? Cause we've got about an hour and half before all of our memories are gone and Barry will never be found." Iris said.

"DeVoe?" Felicity asked. "Is he who took Barry?"

"Yes." Joe answered.

"What do you need us to do?" Oliver said, taking a deep breath before looking up at the group.

—

Barry sat in the same area of the main room of DeVoe's lair. DeVoe had explained he wanted to keep a closer eye on him, so Barry was staying outside of his room until the enlightenment was over. Back to the wall and his hands cuffed behind him, Barry was feeling weaker then ever. With everything that's been going on, he hadn't been given food in hours now.

Marlize walked over to him, the IV pole behind her. He looked at the bag that was hanging on it. Yellow, clear fluid. TPN.

"No thanks." Barry said, weakly.

Marlize smiled at him.

"Not a request. You're not getting enough calories. You need it or you'll pass out... wouldn't want you to miss the show." Marlize answered referring to the upcoming enlightenment.

Marlize bent down to his level and grabbed his wrist, managing to stick the needle in with the cuffs on. Barry winced.

"I can't be who you want me to be. I won't. You can do whatever you want to me... it won't change anything."

Marlize looked Barry in his eyes.

"You'll try. But you will give in to it eventually. It's inevitable. You still manage to have hope now, but in a little over an hour, there won't be anymore hope. Nothing for you to hold on to. My husband and I will be all you have."

Barry just eyed her as she walked away. This was all way too crazy for him... he was totally at the mercy of an insane couple hell bent on destroying the world. One half of the couple just wanted to make his life a living hell and the other half just wanted him... He was used to his enemies just wanting him dead. This was different, unsettling. Death was over in seconds... this was torment that could last forever. Barry wasn't sure he could physically or mentally handle it. Actually, he knew he couldn't.

Barry took the time he was here to look around the room. Look for anything that could help his desperate situation. All that was in the room was various computers, the main one having a big red button, Barry assumed it would initiate the satellites being engaged. Barry would have laughed about how cliche it looked if he didn't feel completely screwed right now.

After the TPN had been going for a few minutes, Barry immediately started to get some strength back. Barry tugged on the cuffs, repeatedly, the clanging drawing DeVoe's attention.

"You mind? Trying to take over the world over here..." DeVoe said, with an annoyed and sarcastic tone.

"You could just let me go." Barry replied, not finding the humor in the situation.

"You've only done this to yourself. I was happy to keep you in your room until you decided to start hiding things from me. Now you'll stay here until the enlightenment comes to fruition."

Barry looked at the countdown on the computer screen. 1 hour left. 1 hour. He'd been here 23 and was unable to make any difference at all, he can't escape, can't overpower DeVoe, can't stop the enlightenment.

His mind floated to Cisco, he was sure he had heard him in that room. How? As far as Barry knew, Cisco couldn't vibe him. Something must have changed. But what? If he could vibe here now, maybe there was hope after all? The sad part was, it might already be too late. It probably was too late. One hour left.

—

45 minutes remaining. Oliver and Felicity were now all caught up on the situation at hand.

"Okay... we should split up into teams. Half of us should work on a way to help Cisco make his vibes to Barry strong enough so they last longer, or maybe even have us breech there, and the other half should work on stopping DeVoe."

Felicity shrugged.

"Obviously I'm here because you need these mad skills to track this Kilgore's code. Caitlin, I'll need your help."

Caitlin nodded. Unsurprisingly, Joe, Cisco, Oliver, and Iris were already standing on one side of the room, it was clear they were the ones who wanted to get to Barry. Felicity, Wells, and Caitlin felt like they were being ripped from the inside out, they all knew what they would rather be doing but knew where they needed to be.

"I'll be helping them since you four are clearly not budging from the Barry hunt." Wells said, standing beside Felicity and Caitlin.

Felicity nodded before she immediately jumped to a computer, while Cisco, Joe, Iris, and Oliver went into Cisco's lab. As they walked in, Cisco still clutched Barry's emblem in his hands, he hadn't put it down since.

"Why are you holding that like your life depends on it?" Oliver said, eyeing the emblem.

"It's how I was able to vibe Barry the first time around."

"So why don't you try again?"

Cisco sighed.

"The first time I did it, it was only for a minute, but it wasn't a regular vibe. Barry he.. he heard me when I said his name. Maybe if I can make the connection stronger somehow he could see me or maybe I can even open a breech. I don't want to do it half ass, it wore me out for almost an hour last time I did it and we are down to 45 minutes now. We have one more go at this... it needs to count. We need to get something out of it."

"What about the room he was in? Tell me everything..." Oliver said, urging Cisco to go on.

"The room was blue... just had an IV pole sitting there with a bag of Propofol hanging there. Half empty. Then... there was a mattress, Barry was sitting on it and was handcuffed to the wall trying to get out. That's it."

Oliver sighed.

"Sound like a familiar place to any of you?"

They all shook their heads before Iris looked up at him, disappointed.

"No.. but it shouldn't. It's in another dimension so."

Oliver shook his head.

"How did this happen? What does DeVoe want? If he wants Barry out of the way, he could just kill him, why all this?"

"We don't know... he just killed... killed Ralph and then took Barry."

Oliver put his head down.

"I'm sorry about Ralph... but we're going to get Barry back."

"How do you know? We haven't been able to and we're down to our final minutes." Cisco said, a lace of frustration in his voice.

"We're going to get him back because... because we have to."

—

OOO SOME ARROW ACTION! PLEASE R AND R!


	9. Promise

You guys catch the finale?! They gave Nora a nice send off, excited to see whats going on next season! Enjoy the chapter and please R and R!

Chapter 9: Promise

Iris left Cisco's lab to check the progress with Felicity, Wells, and Caitlin. She walked into the cortex looking more distressed then ever, her eyes drawn to the screen. 18 minutes remaining. Wells' attention went to her while his hands still clacked on the keyboard in front of him.

"Any luck on the Barry front?"

Iris shook her head.

"We were thinking of ways to make the vibe stronger, but any science or device we try and create now would take too long. What about you? Anything on Kilgore's code?"

Wells let out a frustrated sigh.

"Not yet.. we—-"

"GOT IT! I got it!" Felicity said, throwing her hands in the air. Iris' heart skipped a beat as everyone else ran into the cortex.

"What's going on?" Joe said, in urgency.

"I was able to track and crack open Kilgore's code." Felicity said, her expression going from excited to grim.

"That's good though right?! Why do you look —" Caitlin said, running over to the computer screen.

"We only have 18 minutes left, and it's going to take me at least 5 minutes per satellite to override them."

"What if I help you? You can teach me—" Caitlin said. Felicity shook her head and cut her off.

"No time. We need more 2 more minutes." Felicity said, already starting on the first satellite.

Cisco smiled slightly. Wells gave him a slightly annoyed look.

"Maybe you're deaf but that wasn't good news, Ramon."

"You're forgetting about our ace in the hole. Barry."

—

Barry shifted restlessly as his heart practically ripped through his chest. 5 minutes left. This was it... this was the end. His eyes welled up, he felt totally helpless and useless.

"Oh.. what's the matter, Bar? I realize you're not used to losing, but there is a first time for everything."

Barry shook his head.

"You don't have to do this. Can't you see that you'll never be able to reeducate the world by yourself? You're just going to leave everyone a shell of who they were?"

DeVoe smiled and approached Barry, bending down to his level. DeVoe's smile grew as he saw that Barry's eyes had tears on the brim of falling.

"An empty mind has the potential to be filled. If I didn't enjoy watching you squirm so much I would do the same to your mind so I could just tell you were our son and that would be that..." DeVoe started, before leaning in close, Barry closing his eyes and letting out a shaky breath in an attempt to calm himself.

"But we both know that's not the real reason I want you here. By the time I'm through with you, you'll be begging me to kill you."

Barry's eyes shifted to the clock. 1 minute left. Barry started hyperventilating, DeVoe still in his ear, saying something Barry could't comprehend.. his ears picking up something else.

—

Cisco looked at Team Flash, one minute left. He held Barry's emblem tight, sending a nod to his friends.. his family.

"God, I hope this works."

Cisco vibed into the room, noticing he wasn't in the same room as before. He seemed to be in the main area of DeVoe's lair. His eyes scanned, 59 seconds. He looked for Barry.

He saw him against a wall, DeVoe in his ear, Barry on the verge of tears. Cisco passed a dirty look to DeVoe, his heart aching for Barry.

"Bastard..."

Cisco saw a flicker in Barry's eyes. Cisco ran to him, gripping his emblem tight. He prayed Barry would be the only one that would hear him, holding his emblem should take care of that.. he hoped. With DeVoe in his ear, no one was looking directly at Barry, good news.

"Barry... blink twice for yes and once for no. Can you hear me?"

Barry felt his heart racing, some relief showing on his features at the sound of a familiar voice. He blinked twice, the motion allowing tears to fall. Cisco put a hand on his friends shoulder... Barry didn't feel that. But he felt himself go calmer.

"We figured out a way to hack Kilgore's code, but we're running short on time. We need 2 more minutes and we can stop this. We need you to distract DeVoe somehow. Do you understand?"

Barry blinked twice, hope shining in his eyes.

"I'm going to stay as long as I can.. Barry, I promise—" Cisco was cut off by DeVoe uncuffing Barry and grabbing him by his hood, the IV flying out of is arm. Cisco followed.

"Ready for your front row seat..? Only 30 seconds to go."

Barry took a breath before he was thrown into a seat, but he immediately stood up again.

"DeVoe.. please. PLEASE don't. Okay?! Let me at least be with my family, let me go home!" Barry said, not sure if he was distracting DeVoe or actually begging at this point.

15 seconds.

"You've lost, my dear. Accept that." Marlize said, turning to him.

Cisco's heart raced.

"C'mon Bar." He said aloud. Barry heard it and decided he was out of options now. He looked at Marlize.

8 seconds.

"Please.. listen to me, I'll do it, okay? I'll go along with whatever you say, I won't fight you anymore. I promise."

Cisco looked confused while Marlize actually felt herself feeling conflicted.

"C'mon Marlize... it's time." DeVoe said, using his powers to force Barry into a chair, so he couldn't move. Marlize turned to her husband.

4 seconds.

"Look at me! I'll give you what you want! This isn't about the enlightenment for you, I know it's not. You just want a family, I swear I'll do that for you if you stop this." Barry said in urgency.

0 seconds.

DeVoe turned to the two.

"Enough..."

Marlize looked at her husband, and then looked at Barry. Cisco just felt himself completely lost.

"Family? Barry what the hell is going on?"

Barry could hear Cisco, but kept is focus on distracting DeVoe and Marlize.

"He doesn't want what you want. He—"

"ENOUGH!" DeVoe said, raising his hand and slamming Barry to the ground and sliding him away from Marlize.

Cisco and DeVoe went to Barry, who was struggling to pick himself up. DeVoe reached him before he could stand and held him lying on the ground. DeVoe leaned over him and grabbed his chin. Cisco put a hand on Barry's shoulder.

"I'm here."

Barry managed to blink twice while Cisco nodded.

"You're going to pay for that... more than you already were. One more word from you, and you'll be very very sorry."

Cisco shook his head. Barry was going to pay for this favor, Cisco's idea. This had to work, had to be worth it. His mind floated back to Star Labs.

"C'mon guys..."

—

At Star Labs, everything was frantic. Cisco was standing there mid-vibe, his body looking exhausted. Iris and Oliver were standing next to him, both wondering and wishing they could see what he was seeing. Joe was pacing around, Wells, Caitlin, and Felicity were at the computers, Felicity doing to main leg work and Caitlin assisting her. Wells just seemed to be keeping time.

"We're a minute over, whatever Barry is doing is working. Keep at it, guys."

"Almost there." Felicity said, laser focused. "One more minute."

—

Marlize stood by the computer, watching DeVoe and Barry, her mind feeling doubts for a moment.

"Clifford... what is he on about?"

DeVoe angrily let go of Barry before standing up, turning on a fake smile for his wife.

"Nothing, darling. We can discuss it later, we have more important matters to attend to." DeVoe said, walking to the computer.

Barry went to stand up and found that he couldn't. Cisco could see he was struggling to get up, desperate to stall more. Barry put his head down in aggravation before his eyes went into thought, more tears welling in his eyes.

"Cisco... thank you for trying to help me. Tell everyone I love them." Barry said quietly.

Cisco felt his eyes well up, before he realized Barry was about to do something he didn't think he would make it back from.

"Barry wait.."

"He said he would kill me!" Barry lied. Although it might be true now. DeVoe slammed his fist on the computer before looking at his wife, who angrily looked back.

"Is that true?"

"No. He's lying." DeVoe said, walking up to her and putting both his hands on her shoulders. She nodded her head.

"Good because you promised me we would be a family." Marlize said, quietly, unaware that Cisco was nearby listening in.

"I know. You realize he's not going to just go along with it. He is going to have to be broken and rebuilt. It'll be messy, but it will get done. You have to trust me."

DeVoe said, his hand lifting over the button to initiate the enlightenment. Cisco and Barry both begun to panic.

"And killing him?" Marlize said. DeVoe looked at Barry before looking at his wife.

"I never said that. Quite the opposite actually. Dying would be exactly what he wants once his friends and family are gone... I definitely don't want to give him what he wants."

DeVoe smiled at Barry and pressed the button.

"Shit..." Cisco said, kneeling next to Barry.

"No...NO!" Barry yelled from the ground.

Everyone in the room froze, but nothing happened. No purple light, no mass hysteria, nothing at all. Marlize looked confused.

"What's happened?"

DeVoe punched the button repeatedly, each push angrier than the last. DeVoe looked at his wife, a mixture of confusion and rage. They both looked at Barry when they heard his sigh of relief and a slight smile etched on his features.

Cisco smiled too, but his smile faded when he saw DeVoe and Marlize walk up to Barry.

"What have you done?" Marlize asked, enraged as well. She knew DeVoe would be so angry and it compromised her plans for Barry. DeVoe might actually kill him now.

"I didn't do anything... guess you didn't 'think' your plan all the way through." Barry said, a sarcastic smirk on his face.

DeVoe flew into a rage and grabbed Barry by his throat and slammed him against the wall.

"Barry!"

Barry winced and tried to move DeVoe's hand.

"YOU'VE RUINED EVERYTHING! If you thought it was going to be miserable for you, that was nothing... NOTHING compared to what I'm going to do to you."

Barry struggled to breath.

"Worth... it." Barry said, DeVoe let go as Barry crumbled to the ground. Next came the sound waves, Lizzy Bowen's powers rearing their ugly head. Barry screamed bloody murder and his hands went to his ears. It was 10x louder than it was before.

"STOP!" Cisco started, knowing no one could hear him, not even Barry now. Cisco's heart suddenly filled with dread, his vibe was weakening.

"No.. no no no no no no no" Cisco said aloud, he couldn't leave Barry like this. The sound waves stopped and Barry was basically panting now, blood dripping from his ears.

Cisco knelt beside him and spoke, hoping Barry could hear.

"You did it, brother. My vibe is going away, but I'll be back. I'm going to get you out of here, we're going to get you out. I promise you. I love you man, please... just hold on."

Barry managed to blink twice, sweat dripping from his face. Cisco felt himself fading. The last sight Cisco saw was Barry writhing on the ground before DeVoe grabbed his collar and landed a solid punch right to Barry's face.

Before he knew it, he was back in STAR Labs. Everyone was happy, even Oliver, Joe, and Iris. They had stopped DeVoe! Their smiles dropped immediately when they saw the grave expression from Cisco.

"Barry did it.. we were able to stop DeVoe." Iris said, stating the obvious only because she knew bad news was coming. Something good had to be said.

Cisco quickly stood, looking like he was in complete distress, exhausted, terrified, and nauseous all at once.

"We have to get Barry out of there... right now. RIGHT NOW!"

R and R! Make my day!


	10. Prey

Hey all! Sorry this took a while, work has been crazy! Thanks for the reviews! I really appreciate you guys taking the time to review :)

Chapter 10 - Prey

The Team was completely shaken by how distressed Cisco looked. Oliver broke the ice.

"What happened?" Oliver blurted out, almost too terrified to ask. Cisco rubbed his brow and began.

"It's bad. Barry managed to distract them by temporarily distracting Marlize and kind turning them against each other. But it didn't last long. On my way out he.. DeVoe was mad. He started choking Barry and then he used Bowen's powers and then... I don't know, started in on a beat down. We have to do something."

Iris sat down and put her head in her hands, Joe felt himself going dizzy.

"Okay we need to come up with a plan—" Wells started.

"THERE'S NO TIME FOR A DAMN PLAN!"

"Cisco..."

"NO! YOU DIDN'T SEE WHAT I SAW! DEVOE AND MARLIZE WERE ALREADY OUT OF THEIR MINDS BUT NOW THEY'RE PISSED TOO."

Oliver caught wind of something in Cisco's eyes.

"There's more... what else happened?"

Cisco found himself struggling to find the words. He took a deep breath, trying to get his emotions under control.

"They don't plan on letting Barry go or killing him."

"Well then what the hell do they want?" Oliver demanded, almost afraid to know the truth.

Cisco rubbed his hand over his face.

"They want Barry to... like become part of their creepy little family." Joe immediately felt shivers go up and down his spine.

"What?"

Cisco shook his head.

"That's what Marlize wants anyway..."

Oliver just looked at Cisco with a puzzled expression, that also tethered on terrified.

"Wait.. stop. Explain please."

"Barry was trying to distract them... so he started yelling at Marlize that he would give her what she wanted if she stopped DeVoe from hitting the button... giving her a family."

Everyone in the room found themselves feeling exceptionally uncomfortable.

"This is nuts." Felicity said, putting her head down and shaking her head.

"It wasn't working so... he tried to turn them on each other by telling Marlize that DeVoe didn't want the same thing she wanted. Before he could get out what DeVoe wanted to do..DeVoe uhh..."

Cisco debated skipping the part where DeVoe got in Barry's face and practically pounced on him like a predator attacking it's prey.

"He what?" Iris pushed.

".. DeVoe... shut him up and then went over to talk to Marlize so I went to listen in and DeVoe told her that in order for her to get what she wants, he has to get what he wants."

"Which is?" Caitlin asked, not liking at all where this conversation was going.

Cisco sighed, his stomach churning at the memory.

"DeVoe wants to... break.. Barry, and then he thinks they can make him do whatever they want him too. It's just an excuse to make Barry's life miserable..." Cisco continued, shaking his head.

Everyone was floored, no one could believe what they were hearing. Iris had goosebumps as she spoke.

"What else?"

"All of the distraction worked, when DeVoe went to push the button, nothing happened. By that time, Marlize and him were back on the same page and when the enlightenment failed... DeVoe was.. really angry. He attacked Barry with Lizzy Bowen's powers but it was bad... I never heard Barry scream like that."

Cisco trailed off, thinking back to the horrible moment. Joe swallowed deep, trying to control the nausea he was feeling. Oliver felt himself go enraged, kicking a nearby garbage can, everyone in the room jumping slightly. Cisco hesitantly continued.

"By then the vibe started to fade and the last thing I saw was DeVoe punching Barry—"

"Stop." Iris whispered. "Please stop." Iris whispered again, before running quickly out of the room. Felicity quickly followed her out, before Caitlin approached Cisco, who watched Iris quickly leave with tears in his eyes.

Oliver caught Joe grabbing onto a nearby table before running his hand down his face. Oliver approached him and put a hand on his shoulder.

"We're going to get him back."

"Are we?"

"Of course we are." Oliver said, a little shakier then he liked. "Besides... he's.. he's Barry, right? The Flash.. he'll be okay and he knows we're okay and we're coming for him."

—

Felicity ran after Iris, who quickly walked into Cisco's lab, tears about to spill over.

"Iris!" Felicity said, chasing her down, the both of them stopping at one of the computers, Iris gripping the sides of it as if her life depended on it.

"Fel..Felicity, I can't do this anymore! I've been trying to stay strong for everyone, including Barry, I feel like it's what everyone expects from me, but I can't do it anymore! I just can't do it, I feel like I'm totally falling apart and I can't do a thing to help Barry, I just can't!" Iris blurted out, her breathing heavy and irregular.

"Hey, hey... it's okay. Just calm down, no one expects that from you. Barry is the love of your life and he's in trouble, there would be something wrong with you if you weren't feeling like this." Felicity said, rubbing circles on Iris' back.

"What if I never see him again? He's going to spend his life with those people? What if he does something else to piss DeVoe off, what if stopping the enlightenment was enough and he already killed— killed him?"

"You heard what Cisco said, they don't want to kill Barry. What they're doing is.. creepy, to say they least, but it gives us time to find him."

"But what if we don't find him?! He's stuck with those people! You know what DeVoe has done, what he's capable of! He's going to spend his life there being ripped and teared at and then he's gonna kill him. He doesn't deserve to die like that..."

Felicity grabbed her shoulders and turned her around to face her.

"Listen to me, Iris. Barry is not going to die... he is NOT going to die. I promise you, everyone in this building is going to bust their ass to save Barry, just like Barry's done for all of them. We are going to get him back."

—

The beating seemed to go on for hours, by the time it was over, Barry could hardly hear anymore due to Bowen's powers, had a swollen cheek, and various cuts all over his face. The pain was intense and Barry felt completely dazed. He was already teetering on exhaustion, but now that the enlightenment had been stopped, the adrenaline was dying down, making the exhaustion all the more severe.

DeVoe finally let up, Barry grabbing his head, too weak to even attempt to sit up. DeVoe looked at his knuckles, covered with cuts and blood, some his own and some Barry's. He looked at Marlize, who gave her husband a concerned look. DeVoe looked down at Barry who was barely able to keep his eyes open.

"Get up." DeVoe demanded. Barry didn't respond.

DeVoe grabbed his hood and dragged him to a somewhat standing position before leading him back to the room with the mattress inside. He tossed Barry inside, who stumbled back, his hand shooting against the back wall to prevent from falling.

"We'll pick this up later." DeVoe angrily said. Barry didn't even bother looking up. He heard the door slam and stumbled over to the mattress before laying down, his hands shooting to his head. He was half doing that to cover his eyes, he knew he was going to cry. The other half was the massive headache he was nursing right now.

When he heard the door creak open, his stomach dropped. He felt himself almost relieved when Marlize walked in. He couldn't handle another ass kicking right now. Barry rubbed his tired eyes, and tried his best to sit up, leaning his back against the wall.

"Can you please just.. go?" Barry said, weakly.

Marlize stared at Barry, seeing the exhaustion, pain, and sadness in his eyes. She walked a little closer.

"You know you've only done this to yourself.. making up lies about my husband to stop the enlightenment."

"I didn't lie."

Marlize shook her head.

"My husband and I have the same goals, just different ways of reaching them. I know for sure my husband doesn't plan on killing you, especially now. He's out to make you suffer for what you've done." Marlize said, a slight smile.

Barry shrugged.

"Is that your idea of family? Beat someone down until they can't fight anymore and they just do whatever you want?"

Marlize took a seat next to Barry, who was too weak to move any further back, but he couldn't even if he wanted to, the wall being directly behind him.

"It doesn't have to be that way, it will be much easier on you if you just forget about your... team flash. You were about to give it all up to save them."

"I would have said anything, done anything, to save them, that should already have shown you I'm not going to stop fighting you. I'll do whatever I can to get back to them." Barry said, putting as much strength as he could into his words.

Marlize felt a ping of rage before she put on a fake smile.

"You're tired..." Marlize said, whipping out a needle and sticking it in Barry's neck before he even had a chance to react. Barry's hand shot to his neck as he looked at Marlize with a scared expression. He started to get up, trying to get away from her.

"What..what was that?"

"Sedative. You need rest." Marlize said, getting in his way as he slowly attempted to move. Barry saw double as his heart started pounding. Barry felt Marlize pull his foot toward her, Barry sliding onto his back. Marlize leaned over him and put her hand to his cheek. Barry started panicking before putting his hand up in a feeble attempt to keep her away.

"Stop..." Barry said, his vision swimming. Marlize shoved his hand away and leaned close to his face. Barry turned his head away from her, desperately trying to stay awake and away from her.

"Sleep now, darling." Marlize said, a kiss landing on Barry's cheek. Barry felt himself cringe and tears welled up in his eyes.

A tear made its way down Barry's cheek, he would rather be dealing with torturous pain... anything but this. What he would give to be home.

Barry saw black spots and knew he'd be out in seconds. He felt Marlize wipe his tear away before he finally passed out. Marlize kept her hand on his cheek before she heard DeVoe's voice in the doorway.

"He's ruined everything, you know. Him and his team... we should have taken them out when we saw them trying to stop us from intercepting the last satellite."

Marlize could hear the anger in her husbands voice, but she cared more about getting Barry then she did about the enlightenment. She knew her husband felt the opposite. Marlize looked at her husband before looking at Barry again, her hand still lingering.

"At least we didn't walk away empty handed..."

DeVoe suddenly slammed his fist into the door, enraged. Marlize jumped and withdrew her hand before standing up and facing her husband.

"EVERYTHING WE WORKED FOR... IT'S ALL GONE! WE WERE SUPPOSED TO CHANGE THE WORLD... NOW IT'S OVER AND YOU DON'T EVEN CARE!"

"Of course I do." Marlize quickly said.

DeVoe stormed past her and stood next to an unconscious Barry, pointing a finger at him.

"He's all you cared about... right?"

Marlize shook her head.

"No, I mean.. yes, I cared about getting him but I wanted the enlightenment just as much as you did."

DeVoe smiled.

"You're lying.."

"No-"

"Yes! You're lying, we started with the same goal but somewhere along the way it became less about the enlightenment and more about Barry.. Allen."

"Is that not true for us both? You're goal started with the enlightenment too, but you ended up just as obsessed with making this about defeating Barry as you did about making the enlightenment happen!"

DeVoe let out a heavy sigh.

"Maybe so... but you don't even have the decency to pretend to be upset that we lost to them.. to him." DeVoe said, pointing at Barry again.

"I AM upset."

"Get out."

Marlize just looked at Barry before looking at her husband.

"Why?"

"Now."

Marlize passed a look to her husband before nodding and leaving the room. She froze at the entrance before DeVoe shut it and the door locked automatically behind her. She let out a breath and went back to the main area before looking at the cameras in Barry's room. She saw DeVoe on the screen reach into his pocket and pull out a remote, before clicking a button. The camera went black.

"Damn it." Marlize said, before leaning back in the seat, her mind swimming.

—

DeVoe stared at the closed door before turning his attention back to a sleeping Barry and slipping the remote that controlled the cameras back into his pocket.

He sat down at the foot of the bed and looked at the dried blood on Barry's ears and the bruise forming on his cheek, along with the lacerations on his face.

"Congratulations, Barry. You've stopped me. But boy, oh boy... did you really step in it."

"You know.. I know you're bound by some imaginary code to stop people like me, and maybe you did manage to 'save' the world, but... YOU, you definitely drew the short straw."

DeVoe looked at a sleeping Barry as he continued, deep thought present in DeVoe's eyes.

"I hope it was worth it."


	11. Shield

A/N: Thanks for the reviews yall and let me know what ya think of this one!

Chapter 11: Shield

Cisco, Joe, Wells, Caitlin, and Oliver stood in the cortex, each of them lost in their own thoughts. All deeply concerned for Barry and the position he was in.

"Okay... Barry has been in that place before, did he say anything about it? How did he get away last time?"

Joe sighed.

"He used his powers, said he vibrated so fast he went invisible for long enough that DeVoe let the barrier down... DeVoe went to breech out of the room and Barry grabbed his chair, so they both breached out."

"Well.. that's not going to happen. He has no powers and DeVoe no longer needs his chair." Cisco said, his hope almost completely diminished at this point.

"He has no way out.. we have no way in."

Caitlin shook her head.

"That's not totally true... Cisco is able to get in there and at least communicate with Barry. If we could only find a way to make the vibe stronger."

"What about using Iris again, it worked when we got Barry out of the speed force back when Zoom was around." Joe suggested.

"Worth a shot." Oliver said, leaving to go get Iris. Cisco nodded and took a deep breath.

"What if it works? Just breech in, grab Bar, breach out? That's it?" Wells asked.

"That's it." Oliver said, nodding in anticipation.

Iris and Felicity quickly walked into the room, Iris wiping the tears from her eyes. She immediately walked up to Cisco with her hands out, ready to grab his.

"Let's do this."

Cisco nodded and grabbed Iris' hand, the other hand holding Barry's emblem. He closed his eyes, Iris and him both seeing blurred figures.. one in red and one in black. It was like he was in the room with Barry and DeVoe but it was really unclear.

"Cisco what's—" Iris asked, before they were right back at STAR Labs. Cisco dropped Iris' hand and looked at his own, still clutching the emblem.

"I don't understand..."

"What happened?" Felicity asked. Cisco looked at her and then at Iris with a sorrowful expression.

"I think it's having the opposite effect. I think my vibe isn't strong enough to carry us both there.. we got into the room for a second but, it was all a blur. Something about that... place.. It doesn't work like any place on Earth or even the Speed Force."

The room suddenly jumped when a loud bang emanated from where Joe was standing, they all looked in his direction and saw that he had punched the desk he was standing near. Iris looked heartbroken, and everyone else looked just as defeated as they had only moments ago.

"So much for that..." Oliver said, running his hand over his face.

Wells let out a frustrated sigh.

"There has to be something we can do... something we can use to make the connection between Cisco and Barry stronger."

Joe felt like he was thinking so hard, his brain would explode. He looked at the emblem Cisco was clutching.

"Can I see that?"

Cisco looked up at Joe and then down at the emblem. He had been clutching it in his hands since the first vibe, refusing to let go of it for even one second.

"Why?"

"I'll give it right back... it's the only connection we have to—"

Cisco let out a sad smile and just passed it over to Joe, keeping his eyes glued to it. Joe flipped it around in his hand before a spark in his eyes caught the attention of Cisco.

"What?"

"I have an idea."

—

Barry's head was killing him when he went to open his eyes, the room around him just a blur. His hand shot to his head as he recalled the events from before, Marlize injecting him with something and massively invading his personal space. Barry shuddered at the memory.

"Welcome back, Allen." DeVoe's voice startled Barry. Barry looked up and saw DeVoe sitting at the foot of his bed. Barry immediately backed up and was leaning on his elbows, before he slowly made his way to a sitting position, never keeping his eyes off DeVoe.

"You can't do this to me forever." Barry said weakly, totally creeped out by the idea that DeVoe had been watching him while he was knocked out.

"Not forever... but for as long as you live."

Barry just looked at DeVoe before shifting his gaze, DeVoe's lingering stare forcing Barry to break his.

"Why are you in here...?" Barry hesitantly asked. DeVoe smirked.

"I'm watching, thinking. Thinking is what I do best, after all."

"Well you can... watch... from your cameras. I just wanna be left alone." Barry said, hating how weak he sounded.

"I've actually turned the cameras off."

Barry felt his mouth go dry, he literally could not be anymore creeped out. DeVoe stood up off the bed and walked closer to where Barry was sitting. Barry shifted uncomfortably as DeVoe bent down to his level on the edge of the bed.

"You see, Barry... I've run into a bit of a problem. I have such a wonderful plan to break you... break you into a million little scarlet pieces."

Barry looked at DeVoe with hatred and anxiety all at once.

"I accounted for everything that could go wrong, accounted for all of your possibilities of escape, your team flash breaking you out, any chance you had of somehow getting your powers back.. everything you could do to foil my plans for you. I got so distracted by you that I didn't do all I could to protect my true goals.. for the enlightenment."

Barry felt the anxiety creeping over the hatred at this point, the obsession these people had for him was leaving him feeling incredibly uneasy. What the hell did he ever do to deserve this?

"I got distracted by you and you were not my priority. I know my wife, Allen. I know she wanted you more than she wanted the enlightenment. Imagine how distracted she must be by you?"

DeVoe sat down next to Barry on the bed again. Barry shivered but continued listening, not that he had much choice.

"I saw it... in her eyes, when you told her I was going to kill you. Even when I told her it wasn't true, she was so angry with me at first. The one thing I didn't account for was my... wife.. getting in the way. Do you know what I think?"

Barry just kept listening. DeVoe shot his hand up and grabbed the back of Barry's neck, drawing him closer. Barry jumped at the sudden movement and tried to pull away, but DeVoe was in much better shape than he was right now.

"I think.. that she is going to protect you from me. We can't have that."

DeVoe let go of Barry but stayed seated on the bed. Barry's stomach was in knots as his mind was racing through different versions of where this conversation was going.

"Now if it were up to me, you and I would leave here. Unfortunately, this place is the only place on Earth where your powers are gone AND where your team can't find you. This puts me in a very awkward position... if we can't go.. Marlize will have to."

Barry's face contorted into one of confusion, his heart skipping a beat. He couldn't mean what Barry thought he meant, right?

"What—"

DeVoe cut Barry off and took out a knife. Barry went to stand out of fear but DeVoe grabbed his arm and looked him dead in the eye.

"Watch this."

DeVoe lifted the knife and rammed into Barry's hand. Barry let out a hell of a scream as his eyes filled up with water.

DeVoe looked at the door and shrugged.

"Nothing yet.." DeVoe smirked, before he pulled the knife out and Barry let out another scream. Barry tried to get off the mattress but DeVoe grabbed his shoulder and stabbed Barry again.

"AHHHHH!" Barry screamed again. DeVoe stood up and Barry got up, holding his shoulder as blood soaked his hand. Barry fell to his knees as DeVoe turned to the door again and gave it a confused look.

"Hmm.. still nothing."

Barry soon realized that DeVoe was waiting for Marlize to stop him. Barry wasn't sure she would, she was just as sick in the head as DeVoe was. Barry wasn't sure he even wanted her too, would DeVoe really kill her?

DeVoe grabbed the knife and pulled it out. Barry let out a grunt and fell onto his side. He let out a shaky breath as beads of sweat dripped down his face. DeVoe threw knife and looked back at Barry who was shaking and sweating, his eyes looking up at DeVoe with caution.

"Okay... new approach." DeVoe said, raising his hand. DeVoe closed his fist and Barry suddenly felt a ripping pain in his stomach.

Barry groaned, the pain started out small at first. DeVoe's hand clenched tighter with each moment, bringing more intense pain with it each time he did. Soon, it was unbearable. Barry's screams echoed through the room with impressive volume. A faint noise was heard in the distance. DeVoe dropped his hand and Barry was panting, holding his stomach.

Knocks on the door were heard.

"Bingo."

Barry inwardly shook as he looked up at the door, DeVoe smirking down at him.

"Yes?" DeVoe shouted at the closed door. Marlize could be heard on the other side. Barry let out half a groan before DeVoe's hand shot down to cover his mouth.

"Shhh.. trying to make a point here." DeVoe whispered.

Barry felt his heart racing as he tried to weakly move DeVoe's hand, but, he had been through the ringer and DeVoe was ridiculously stronger than him now.

"Is everything alright in there?" Marlize asked, hoping to hear some sound come from Barry.

DeVoe smirked.

"I'm fine."

It was not lost on Marlize that DeVoe had only mentioned that he was fine and did not mention Barry.

"What about—"

"Allen? He doesn't look too good."

Marlize felt herself getting nervous. She wiggled the door handle before letting out an aggravated breath that it was still locked.

"Let me in."

DeVoe just smirked again as he looked down at Barry, who had one hand trying to break DeVoe's grasp and the other still holding his stomach. Barry was pale and sweating, the blood loss getting to him from his shoulder and the pain from his hand AND his shoulder taking its toll.

"Hang in there, son. You're not going to want to miss this." DeVoe said quietly.

Marlize pounded on the door.

"Darling... let me in." Marlize said sternly.

"Be on your way, dear. Mr. Allen needs to pay."

Marlize banged on the door again before DeVoe let out a small smile and pulled a gun out. Barry shook as DeVoe waved it in front of his face. DeVoe smiled as he dragged Barry closer.

"Don't worry.. it's not for you."

DeVoe used the remote to open the door and let go of Barry. Barry rolled away from him but turned himself around so he was facing the pair. Marlize hurriedly ran in and looked at Barry, bleeding on the ground, but relieved to see he was alive. She looked at her husband, gun in his hand.

"Why did you not let me in? I thought..."

"Thought I had killed Barry? I already told you I had no intention of doing that, we wouldn't want to let Barry off too easy now. Don't you trust me?" DeVoe said, humored.

"Of course I do... I just want to make sure we both get what we want." Marlize hurriedly said.

"Well we both may have different ideas about why, but we both want him to live. It's upsetting you don't trust me."

Marlize shifted slightly and stared at the gun.

"It might be easier to trust you if you weren't holding that. You just said you wouldn't kill him—"

"Not for him."

Barry got onto his elbows as he looked on.

"Wait.." Barry muttered out. Marlize looked at Barry, confused, before she looked back at her husband, the pieces coming together as tears filled her eyes.

A shot rang out as Marlize fell to the floor.


	12. Sleeper

A/N: Sorry this took forever, ya'll! I was on vacation but I came back to some new photos of the suit in entertainment weekly! Whoa! Getting me pumped for season 6. I hope you guys enjoy!

Chapter 12: Sleeper

Barry watched as Marlize fell to the floor, still. His breath hitched in his throat as he felt himself go cold as goosebumps found its way on his skin.

"Oh my God.. how could— how could you do that?"

Barry felt some sympathy for her but that wasn't even the real reason he was upset. If DeVoe could do that to his own wife, imagine what he would be willing to do to Barry. What's been done so far could be nothing compared to what he could do.

DeVoe smirked slightly before bending down next to his wife and looking up at Barry.

"Wow.. you actually seem upset."

Barry shook his head as he manage to stumble to his feet, backing up against a wall and holding his shoulder with his bloody hand.

"You're not? You just killed your wi—"

DeVoe stood up and got closer to Barry.

"Don't be so melodramatic. She's not dead... it was a sedative. Tranq gun."

"Why—"

"Watch."

DeVoe whipped out a bottle of eye drops and dropped a few in his eyes. Barry looked on, confused.

"Damn things always make my eyes tear... remember when your beloved Caitlin Snow was in bed with Amunet Black? She ran into a meta human called the Weeper shortly after she cut ties with her. The Weeper—"

"I know who he is."

DeVoe smirked.

"I ran into him after your friends saved him... took his gifts. Unfortunately, it's going to take more than I thought to keep my wife in line." DeVoe continued, rubbing his eyes as Barry looked on, fear and exhaustion written on his features.

DeVoe took a container out of his pocket and caught the lit tears that fell from his eyes. DeVoe closed the container, put his hand up, and Marlize slid out of the room as DeVoe headed toward the door and shut it behind him.

Barry shook his head. How long had DeVoe been drugging his wife? How much of what she was saying was DeVoe's influence and how much of it was her? He believed her obsession was real, but maybe she genuinely didn't want to see him hurt... maybe that part of it was just DeVoe.

Barry manage to get himself to a standing position, looking at his hand and his shoulder for the first time. His hand was bloodied and painful, but his shoulder... he could barely move his arm. Barry took one of his partially ripped sleeves and did his best to wrap it around his shoulder, wincing in pain as he did so.

Barry took a seat on the bed before leaning back against the wall, sweat dripping down his face. He looked up as the small light of the camera turning back on caught his attention, Barry stiffening as he let out a shaky breath. According to Marlize, his metabolism was still moving at its normal pace so he should heal. He hoped. He was also very aware that he hadn't eaten in the past few hours, so he felt the effects of that as well.

Barry let out a shaky breath, he didn't know how much more of this he could possibly stand. DeVoe planned on doing this for as long as Barry lived, forever.. as he put it. Barry honestly didn't know if he could make it another few days... another day, even. Now that the enlightenment had been derailed, the team was working on getting him out, that he knew for sure. Cisco managed to break through somehow, his voice did anyway... that was a start.

Barry closed his eyes and tried his best to calm down before the deranged couple inevitably came in the room again. Barry was the one who was always in control, always saving people. Now he has absolutely zero control and he needed to be saved.. it really sucked on the other side.

—

The rest of the room lit up as Joe looked at them with a glint in his eyes.

"Idea?" Iris said, walking closer to her father.

Joe nodded, handing back the emblem to Cisco, who went right back to white knuckling it.

"Maybe Cisco's vibe is too weak to bring another person, but maybe we can find another inanimate object to make the vibe stronger. If the emblem works.."

"Something else might too. We need to find something that means something to Barry... something that means a lot to him." Felicity finished.

Throughout the next few hours, they searched and searched... STAR Labs, and the West home. Finally, they hit Barry and Iris' loft. Caitlin passed by a picture of herself, Barry, and Cisco on a dresser near the TV and smiled at the memory of taking it. Cisco trailed near her and smiled at the memory as well before picking up the picture frame.

"OG Team Flash..." Cisco said with a light laugh, staring at the emblem Barry had on in the photo and then feeling the same one in his pocket.

Caitlin let her smile falter into a frown before she looked tearfully at Cisco.

"I know I've tried to be strong since this all happened but... what if— what if we can't get him back? What if something happens to him by the time we do?"

Cisco chose his words carefully. Something already did happen to Barry... many things in fact. Just being at DeVoe's lair for a few minutes was all Cisco needed to see, he even chose to leave certain things out to spare everyone else.

"Barry's strong and he knows we're coming. It's going to be okay..." Cisco said, not believing the last part much at all. Caitlin didn't believe it either.

"I'm sorry you had to see what was happening with DeVoe... I can't even imagine what it must have been like to see and not be able to step in."

Cisco gripped the picture harder as he stared at the smile Barry had.

"It was unbearable, Cait. How they were treating him, what they have planned for him. I couldn't do a thing to stop any of it."

Cisco said as he went to put the picture down, his hand grazing something as he did. Suddenly, he saw a familiar shade of blue before he saw a glimpse of Barry, bleeding from his shoulder and his hand, sweating, eyes closed with a pained expression. It lasted only seconds before he was back in the loft, breathing heavy.

"Cisco! You okay?" Caitlin asked, a hand on his shoulder. Everyone else ran over as Cisco almost felt sick at what he saw.

"I vibed." Cisco said.

"With the emblem?" Wells hurriedly asked, looking for the object in his hand. Cisco shook his head as he looked down at the dresser, seeing a watch. Cisco picked it up as Joe looked at it.

"It's the watch I gave to him..." Joe said, with a sad smile.

Cisco hurriedly took out the emblem, ready to vibe. Wells grabbed his arm, stopping him.

"The HELL are you doing?! I need to go now! Barry's hurt!"

Wells took a breath.

"It takes a lot of your energy to vibe there... you might not be able to vibe out right away. And as far as we know, you can't take someone back with you. We need an exit strategy."

"Maybe with two objects, I'll be strong enough to bring him back!"

"But we don't know! You could vibe there and then be stuck too!" Wells yelled back.

"I DON'T CARE!"

"Cisco..." Joe started.

"NO! HE CAN'T BE ALONE ANYMORE! YOU'RE NOT SEEING WHAT I'M SEEING! I'M GOING YOU CAN'T STOP ME!" Cisco screamed, tears coming to his eyes.

Oliver grabbed Cisco's arm and gave him a tug.

"Cisco listen! You're the only one that can get to Barry, if you end up stuck in there, then we'll never get him or you out. We need a plan."

Cisco was shaking. He stared at the group, then slipped the watch and the emblem in his pocket, nodding in agreement.

Iris finally asked the question everyone was too afraid to ask.

"What did you see?"

Cisco let out a shaky breath.

"Barry... he was sitting on the bed, sweating, and bleeding. Guys, they're torturing him in there, we need to move fast."

The group felt their stomachs turn at the information. Iris rubbed her brow with a shakey hand.

"Okay... whats the plan?"

—

Barry had managed to fall asleep for a few hours before the sound of the door opening snapped him awake. He did his best to sit up straighter, but a wave of nausea hit before he could get there, so he decided to stay in the same position, turning his head weakly toward the door.

He looked on, exhausted, as both DeVoe and Marlize stepped in the room, both with wicked smiles on their faces. He knew right then that whatever "help" or "protection" he was going to get from her, even if it was part of her weird obsession, was gone.

Barry looked at her.

"Looks like he—"

"Dear! Would you run and grab the new IV bag?" DeVoe quickly said, interrupting Barry.

Marlize smiled and left the room, smiling evilly at Barry. Barry felt his throat go dry and swallowed heavy at hearing they were about to knock him out again. Part of him didn't even see the point, he could barely put up a fight anymore at all.

"How could you do that to your own wife?"

DeVoe quickly approached Barry and clasped a hand over his mouth. Barry tried to weakly pull it off, DeVoe just pushing his hand harder, Barry's head against the wall now. DeVoe got close enough to whisper into Barry's ear, who tried to move his head away.

"You try mentioning what I've done to my wife again, I will go to STAR Labs and slaughter them all."

Barry got teary eyed as he thought of his friends and family, his heart pounding out of his chest. Barry gripped his hand around DeVoe's arm in a desperate attempt to remove his hand. To Barry's surprise, he felt DeVoe's hand lift. He saw a flash of nerves in DeVoe's eyes before he felt a pulse of energy slam his head back against the wall, sending Barry into a daze.. those damn powers.

"Why do you think I haven't killed them?"

Barry slowly opened his eyes again, his exhausted eyes meeting DeVoe's deranged ones.

"Insurance policy... another method to keep you in line. You will not say a word to Marlize, Barry. If you do, I will kill every single person you hold dear."

The sound of Marlize's footsteps pulled DeVoe away from Barry. Barry passed him a nervous glance before his eyes went to the door. Marlize had entered with an IV bag she hung on the pole, Propofol.

"Lay down." Marlize ordered, after setting up the tubing and wheeling the pole towards Barry.

Barry looked nervously at her.

"N—No." Barry muttered out, still dazed from the crack to his skull.

DeVoe let out a surprised smile.

"You just don't quit do you?"

Barry straightened himself up as much as he could.

"I'm going— to get out— of here. I always do."

DeVoe angrily grabbed Barry and threw him down on the bed, Barry fighting as hard as he could. DeVoe gripped his collar and held him down, getting in his face.

"Feeling pretty weak there, Barry?"

Barry tried to push DeVoe off to no avail.

"Get off." Barry weakly blurted out. DeVoe ignored him.

"I don't even need my abilities to overpower you anymore... notice we haven't given you any food in while?"

Marlize grabbed Barry's arm, which immediately snapped Barry's attention to her. He turned to look at her and desperately tried to pull his arm away, but DeVoe used one hand to hold his arm down, using the other to grab his chin, forcing Barry to face him.

Barry winced as he felt the needle enter his arm. He let out a shaky breath as DeVoe came in closer.

"From now on, you'll be getting just enough food to keep you alive and functioning... too much would give you strength and give your immune system the boost it needs to heal quickly.. and we wouldn't want that." DeVoe said, so close to Barry he could feel his breath.

Barry felt a slight burn and he knew the drug was coursing through his bloodstream, he felt the effects very quickly.

"Goodnight, son. Don't go anywhere." DeVoe said with a smile as he let go. Barry already saw black spots and he was out before DeVoe stepped away.

DeVoe stared at Barry as Marlize attached a pair of cuffs to one of Barry's hands and the other cuff to the wall.

"The drugs hit faster this time." DeVoe said. Marlize smiled before pointing at the pump.

"Slower rate. He's weak... doesn't take much. His system requires so many calories that even a few hours without food is enough to make him almost fully human again."

DeVoe smirked.

"Can't starve him too much.. can't have him dying on us."

Marlize nodded and exited the room before quickly returning with a bag of TPN before hanging it on the IV pole. She started another IV on Barry before connecting the bag to the tubing and the tubing to the IV.

"I'll put in on a slow rate so it's just enough." Marlize said aloud before brushing Barry's cheek and walking up to her husband.

"Shall we?"


	13. Trespass

A/N: Guys I am so sorry the last few chapters have taken me so long to put up! Been a busy few months but I'm going to try and be better about getting them out! I hope you guys enjoy and thanks for being patient! Read and Review, but mostly, enjoy!

Chapter 13: Trespass

"So we know that Cisco will be able to vibe there, but we don't know if he will be able to vibe out with Barry. We already know it takes a lot out of you to vibe in, you usually need to rest after. Plus, whatever reason Barry doesn't have his powers could effect you too, and you might not even be able to create a breech at all." Felicity started.

"So we need to prepare for the likelihood of getting out without vibing. You might not be able to fight your way out on your own either." Iris added.

Cisco nodded, knowing this was true, he really was exhausted after even just vibing to this place, breaching there? He figured he would be lucky to even be standing after he got to DeVoe's lair.

"I'm going." Joe said, tears in his eyes. Oliver shook his head.

"No, I'm going."

"He's my son!" Joe yelled, overcome with urgency and emotion. Oliver nodded and approached Joe.

"I know. But I have the best chance to get him out of there. What I do, I don't have powers that DeVoe can dampen or taken away from me."

Joe sighed with sadness and frustration. Oliver put a hand on his shoulder.

"He's my best friend... more than that. He's family. I promise you, I promise... I will get him back."

Joe nodded before gripping Oliver's shoulder in understanding.

"Anyone ever been to DeVoe's place before?"

Caitlin shook her head.

"Just Barry."

"You didn't see what I saw. We also have to prepare for the very real possibility that Barry won't be in any condition to help us. We might have to wing it." Cisco finished with a sigh.

"You can do this... I know you can." Well said to Oliver and Cisco.

Joe nodded in agreement.

"Anything else or are we good to go?" Cisco said, anxious and determined. He wanted, needed.. to get Barry out.

Oliver nodded.

"We're good... let's do this." Oliver said, grabbing his arrows, Cisco grabbing a few things, and finally grabbing Barry's watch from Joe and his original Flash emblem.

Iris walked up the pair.

"Get my husband back... bring Barry home to me." She said with strength, but with tears as well.

"Get in, get out. We can deal with DeVoe later, we need to make sure Barry is out of harms way." Caitlin said, staring at her prepared medical bay, awaiting Barry's arrival.

Oliver nodded.

"Got it."

Joe walked up to the pair as well.

"Good luck, bring our boy home."

Cisco and Oliver nodded at each other and Cisco gripped the emblem and the watch and closed his eyes, Oliver grabbing his shoulder. Oliver felt a knot in the pit of his stomach and took a deep breath to calm himself down, but he was too nervous. He hardly got nervous anymore, but this was different, the stakes were too high.

This one was personal.

—

The Lair was quiet, the control room empty. The only motion being the screens that showed Barry in the room and various lights on the computers in the room. The only animated thing in the whole place being Barry, breathing shallow, knocked out in that damn room.

Suddenly, a breech. Before they knew it, Oliver and Cisco were standing in the room Barry was in. Cisco almost fell back against the wall once they landed, but the minute he saw Barry, the adrenaline started.

"Barry..."

What he saw took his breath away. Barry lay still, two bags of some kind of substances flowing into his veins, bleeding hand cuffed to the wall, shoulder bloodied and poorly wrapped up by a piece of his suit. Bruises and cuts on his face, sweating and pale. So pale... bags under very tired eyes.

Cisco felt tears fall as he ran to Barry, hesitating when he reached the bed he laid on. Cisco looked for chest rise, but it was so subtle, Cisco didn't see it. He shook as he reached his hand out to Barry's neck, searching for a pulse.

It was there, but it was weak. Cisco let out a breath he didn't know he was holding as he squeezed his friends good hand.

"Oh Barry... we're here."

With that, Cisco went to pull out the IV's that were in his arms before he noticed he was standing at the bedside alone. He turned around and saw Oliver standing back, shocked at the state of Barry.

"Oliver help me!" Cisco screamed in his direction

Oliver snapped out of it before running to the pair. Cisco carefully removed the IV's and felt his heart race as he realized he needed to get him out of the cuffs. He quickly reached into his pocket and grabbed the lock pick he had bought with him and started to work on it.

"What made you bring that?"

Oliver said, still hesitant to even touch Barry, afraid he would break him somehow.

"When DeVoe showed us the video of Barry when we tried to get to the satellites before DeVoe, he had Barry in cuffs."

Cisco undid them before Oliver knelt next to him and grabbed Barry's face, gently.

"Bar? Barry..?"

Nothing.

"My God Cisco... he's not moving at all." Oliver said with tear filled eyes. Cisco looked at his friend and got closer to him, leaning over the bed.

"Barry." Cisco said with a light tap of his cheek.

Cisco backed away before he took his lock pick out again and started working on the locked door to the room they were in. He needed to focus on something else, he needed to break down for a moment and needed to be away from Oliver. So, through blurred vision, he cried and tried to unlock the door.

"Barry.. c'mon brother. Open your eyes." Oliver said in desperation. Oliver shook his head and knew Barry wasn't going to wake up any time soon, this was beyond his bodies own healing capabilities.

He gathered his friend into his arms and held him close.

"We're going to get you out of here." He whispered in his friends ear. He looked up at Cisco, who was still working on the door.

Cisco let himself gaze back toward the bed, Oliver sitting on it, holding Barry protectively trying to get him to wake up. Cisco wished he was there doing the same thing, but kept his eyes on the door, this was his mission right now.

Then, a noise. Both Oliver and Cisco looked at each other as they heard footsteps toward the room. Oliver urgently picked up Barry and hid against the wall behind the door, Cisco on the opposite side.

DeVoe unlocked the door himself and sauntered in, bag in hand.

"Oh Bar— what?" DeVoe stuttered out as he saw the bed empty. A flash of rage hit his eyes as he went to turn around.

Much to Oliver's surprise, Cisco took out a gun he had hidden in his waistband, and swung. Every inch of hatred he felt for this man, every drop of sorrow he felt for Barry, all of it channeled into that punch.

DeVoe felt a rush of pain to the back of the head and then saw black. Oliver nodded and looked at Cisco.

"Nice shot.. but, a gun?"

"I knew I wouldn't have powers here." Cisco said simply before he raised the gun, aiming at at an unconscious DeVoe.

"Cisco... Cisco we have to go. His wife—".

"He dies first." Cisco said, tears filling his eyes.

"Cisco we have to go. This isn't you and we have to get Barry out of here!" Oliver said in a loud whisper.

Cisco looked at Barry in Oliver's arms and then back at DeVoe on the ground.

"You didn't see what I did. Oliver he needs to die.. he's not going to stop coming after Barry."

Suddenly, more footsteps were heard as Marlize was about to walk in on the scene. Cisco quickly aimed the gun at her, as she kept her eyes on Barry and Oliver.

"How did you get in here?" Marlize asked, passing a gaze to her husband on the ground.

"Which WAY OUT?!" Cisco yelled, anger pouring out of him.

Marlize smirked.

"I'll be happy to show you, but he's not going anywhere." She said, nodding to Barry. Oliver let out a light laugh.

"Oh yes he is."

"He won't get far... we'll keep coming." Marlize said, seriousness etched in her features.

Cisco saw red. He ran up to Marlize and put the gun under her neck, she couldn't hide the fear in her eyes.

"You got a death wish?! I saw what you did to Barry, I KNOW what you have planned for him. If you don't think I'll kill you, you're wrong. NOW SHOW US HOW TO GET OUT OF HERE, OR GET HURT!"

Marlize was afraid, Cisco could see it in her eyes.

"How did you see? The technology here.. it's impossible."

Cisco cocked the gun.

"WHICH. WAY. OUT?"

Marlize let out a shaky breath, she had been trying to stall until DeVoe woke up, but he was really out. She didn't have choice.

"Okay.. okay."

Marlize put her hands up and started outside to the main control room of the lair. She walked up to the main computer and tapped a few keys before a breech opened.

"It will lead you to the main house." Marlize said, unable to hide the disappointment in her voice. Oliver and Barry lagged behind slightly.

"Sorry." Oliver said. Cisco passed them a gaze before he turned his attention to Marlize, whose eyes were drilling Barry.

"This isn't over." She said.

Oliver looked at Barry and then looked at her, he could see how crazed she was. As he stepped into the breech, he looked at her and would make sure his next words rang true.

"You're damn right it's not."


	14. Homecoming

A/N: Guys I am so sorry! Work has been crazy and then I went on vacation so its been like impossible to get on here! I'll be better about it from here on out, promise! Who saw the new trailer?! AHH! I'm so ready! Alright, guys, enjoy!

Chapter 14: Homecoming

Cisco was able to breech them to STAR Labs in seconds. It was much easier to vibe as long as it had nothing to do with DeVoe's place.

"BARRY!" Iris yelled as she ran to Oliver. Tears were streaming down her face as she put her hands on Barry's face and saw the state of him.

"My God..." Joe said in a whisper. He quickly averted his eyes as Caitlin pushed her way through everyone.

"Move! Put him on the bed."

Oliver put him in the medical bay as she pushed everyone out of the room, Oliver slowly backing out and Cisco not exiting.

"Cisco please, I need to work." Caitlin said, trying to be sympathetic as she was turning on oxygen and starting her own, much more sterile, IV.

"I'm not leaving him. Not again. NEVER again."

Caitlin continued working, moving around Cisco as she did so.

"Cisco please... let me just get him stable and then you don't have to leave, okay? Please."

Cisco stared at Barry before slowly nodding and leaving the room, standing outside looking from a window. The group was standing behind him, all staring at Barry as well. Felicity finally tore her eyes away from Barry and looked at Oliver and Cisco.

"So... what happened in there?"

—

DeVoe finally came to. He woke up in, what used to be, Barry's room and looked at the empty bed in front of him.

"No... NO!" DeVoe said, his face reddened.

He quickly stood up and saw the open cuffs dangling on the wall, two IV's with dried blood on them, the IV pole rolled to the other side of the room.

"MARLIZE!" He shouted. Marlize had run in, Oliver, Barry, and Cisco only breeching out seconds ago.

"Where. Is. He?" DeVoe said, turning around to her.

"Oliver Queen and Cisco Ramon. They got in here somehow and got out."

"HOW?! You assured me there was NO WAY in here!"

Marlize shrugged nervously before looking around the room.

"They shouldn't have been able to get in.. I don't know what's happened!"

DeVoe straightened himself out before he picked up a piece of Barry's ripped suit and squeezed it.

"You will figure out what went wrong. Then, we will go to STAR Labs and kill them all and bring Barry back... right where he belongs."

—

Oliver had gone through the rescue in its entirety, all while Cisco watched through the glass, eyes on Barry. Oliver managed to leave out the part where Cisco was going to shoot DeVoe.

Iris had her head on her fathers shoulder as she watched Barry as well, at the same time, fully listening to Oliver's words.

"He's been off their drugs for a long time... do you know why he hasn't woken up yet?" Iris said, concern warping her voice as she looked at Caitlin in the room, doing various things to help Barry.

Oliver sighed.

"They had that TPN stuff there, and then everything he went through physically... probably too weak to—"

"Excuse me." Cisco said as he quickly left the area. Everyone jumped to attention while Oliver put his hand up.

"I got it."

Oliver chased Cisco out into the hallway, who was standing there, facing the wall.

"Cisco... you okay?" Oliver said from behind him. Cisco sniffled.

"He seemed.. barely alive when we found him. What those.. animals.. did to him. You shouldn't have stopped me."

"Stopped you?"

Cisco whipped around.

"From killing DeVoe! You of all people? You kill people like it's nothing.. then when it comes to one of your best friends and the guy that took him away from his family, you wanna let him walk?! After everything he's done?!"

"Of course not—"

"But maybe thats the problem right?! You didn't see everything he did and you know what? Neither did I... but what I did see, it was enough."

Oliver put his hands on his hips as he hands went to the outside of his pockets.

"Cisco.. DeVoe isn't going to walk. I'm only trying to handle the situation the way Barry would want."

Cisco smiled.

"How Barry would want, huh? Well.. maybe we should go ask him how he would want it handled. Oh wait! That's right... we can't! ALL BECAUSE OF WHAT THOSE MONSTERS DID."

Oliver grabbed Cisco's shoulders.

"He WILL pay... He will. I promise."

—

Caitlin walked out of the medical bay, everyone quickly standing.

"Is he okay?" Iris said, tears in her eyes as she eagerly looked passed Caitlin, into the room where Barry lay out cold.

Caitlin let out a sigh.

"He's in bad shape. He has two stab wounds, one to his hand and one to his shoulder. The one in the shoulder is infected so I have an antibiotic going now. He's got puncture wounds from needles to his neck and arms, cuts, abrasions, bruises everywhere. His wrists have abrasions too... I'm guessing from cuffs. Damage to his ear drums. But none of that has me as concerned as..." Caitlin started, before she finally looked up from the clipboard she was carrying.

Everyone looked white as a ghost... tears filling their eyes.

"As...as concerned as what?" Cisco said, tears in his eyes as well as he and Oliver heard the whole thing from the doorway.

Caitlin looked over at Cisco, he looked almost more broken than anyone else.

"Um.. I think the main reason he isn't waking up is because he has severe malnutrition. He's been there for 3 days without his normal calorie consumption, but his body was still somehow working at the same metabolism, even though he didn't have his powers. It's more his powers were suppressed than taken."

"So.. what does all of that mean? He's away from there now, shouldn't his powers be coming out now?"

"His body doesn't have the energy it needs to keep up with this powers now. I started him on fluids and TPN also so he can get the nutrition he needs."

"DeVoe gave him that too." Oliver stated. "We saw it in the room."

Caitlin nodded.

"They were probably giving him the bare minimum he needed to keep him alive... keep him weak. Less of a threat."

"They were already suppressing his powers, what's the point of that?" Felicity asked, feeling a bit nauseated at the whole thing.

"The same reason they would cuff him to a bed at the same time their giving him drugs to keep him out... control."

Iris took a shaky breath as she walked in the medical bay, followed by Joe. The rest waited outside, dying to go in as well, but knew that Joe and Iris needed their time.

—-

Joe and Iris walked in the room, their breaths hitched in their throat. There was no way to sugar coat it... Barry looked horrible. Pale, sweating, shivering, beat up.

Iris stood, tears falling. She felt her fathers comforting arm around her shoulders as he pushed he forward, urging her to go to him.

"You can do this, sweetie. He needs you." Joe said, a part of him thinking he needed her to go first because he couldn't do it himself.

Iris nodded as she slowly approached her husband. Her shaky hand reached out to him, as she comfortingly stroked his face before leaning over him, giving him a kiss on the forehead as she wiped a tear with the other hand. She pulled up a chair and sat down next to him, looking at the various tubes and listening to the various beeps of machines.

"Oh Barry..." She simply said, as she grabbed his hand, giving it a kiss as well. As she touched it, her hand grazed the abrasions caused by handcuffs. She covered it gently with her hand.

"How could anyone do this to you?" She said, mostly to herself.

Joe pulled up a chair to the other side of the bed and grabbed Barry's other hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"We're here, son. You're safe now."

—

Marlize and DeVoe were now back in, what looked like, their regular home. Marlize had gone over it again and again, how did they get in? Suddenly, an idea.

"Darling... I think I know how we can find out what happened."

DeVoe, sat on a chair with a scotch in hand, his eyes swimming with rage as he reflected back on all that happened over the past 72 hours. 3 days ago, the enlightenment was inevitable and he had Barry in his clutches. Now... he had nothing.

"How?" DeVoe said.

"Cameras."

DeVoe put his drink down. Of course, how could have not thought of that before? The had the cameras all over the lair to keep an eye on Barry, but now they may be able to see how his friends broke in.

The two transported themselves back to the lair and ran to the main computer, which housed the tapes and screens to the camera footage. Marlize went to hit rewind... nothing. She hit the button again, nothing seemed to be working.

"What's the problem?"

Marlize glanced at her husband before she stuck her fingers in the slots where the memory cards were. Empty. Her heart skipped a beat. Now it wasn't just Team Flash they had to worry about, everything they did to Barry was on those memory cards, if they were ever turned over to the police, they would be wanted criminals too.

"Someone stole the footage."

—

Oliver stood outside of the medical bay. Iris and Joe had been in there all night, no change with Barry. Felicity and Wells had been in multiple times, holding Barry's hand and comforting Iris and Joe.

Cisco and Oliver both didn't have the willpower to go in yet. Oliver touched his pocket again, feeling around.

A set of small squares, he pulled them out of his pocket. The memory cards. He grabbed them right before they breeched out of the lair. He wasn't even totally sure why he took them, but he decided the reason he would give everyone else was that when Barry woke up, he could decide how he wanted DeVoe to pay.. revenge or turn it over to the cops and get him arrested and thrown in the meta wing of Iron Heights.

Why he really took it? Again, he wasn't really sure.

He slipped them back into his pocket before he turned his attention back to the medical bay, still unable to walk in. He felt Felicity's presence behind him as he turned around and gave her a sad smile.

"You should go in, just let him know you're here. You did save him after all, you and Cisco."

Oliver sighed.

"I don't know why.. I can't seem to get in there."

Felicity let out a light smile. "He's one of your best friends, a super hero. Seeing him hurt.. so... human, it's not easy."

Oliver nodded and smiled.

"I don't know... as big a hero as he's become, he'll always be that nerdy kid to me."

Felicity smiled.

"Always."

Felicity's phone suddenly went off as she looked at the text that just came in. Diggle, something was going down back home. Felicity looked up at Oliver.

"It's a text from Dig—" Felicity started as Oliver kept his eyes on his friend before finally turning to look at her.

"Ollie.. look, I'm gonna head back but you should stay."

Oliver smirked.

"No.. no I can't just ignore—"

"You're not. You're needed here... if it gets bad I'll call you right away."

Oliver let his eyes go back to Barry before he tore his eyes away and looked at Felicity before he nodded.

"Yeah.. if you want to head back, that's okay... I'm going to stick around till he wakes up."

Felicity nodded and gave him a kiss before she headed into Barry's room. Oliver watched as she held Barry's hand and gave him a kiss on the forehead before exchanging words and hugs with Iris and Joe, before she left the room and did the same with Wells, Caitlin, and Cisco.

She gave Oliver a small wave before Oliver went to Cisco, still sitting outside the room.

"Still can't bring yourself to go in there?" Oliver said.

Cisco shook his head.

"When we first got here I couldn't even leave his side. Now that I know how bad it really is... it's like, I don't know.. I can't. I don't know that I can handle seeing him like that, even though all I do is sit here and stare at him through glass windows." Cisco said as he let out a light laugh.

Oliver nodded, his finger tracing the memory cards in his pocket.

"I have to show you something."


	15. Barry

A/N: Hey guys... so here's the deal about why its been taking me so long to update this story. I've sort of lost motivation for it but when I watched the premiere of the Flash, it sort of renewed my interest in it and I hope it did that for some readers too! I'd love to hear what you guys are thinking and thanks so much to the readers who have stuck through it since the beginning! I really appreciate it!

Chapter 15: Barry

Pain. Fear. The first things Barry felt as he slowly, weakly opened his eyes. Beeping. Through blurred eyes, he looked around. Something was different.

He saw the bag of TPN hanging and immediately tried to get as alert as possible, and made his way to a sitting position, breath hitched in his throat.

"Barry! Barry look at me!" Iris said, taking Barry's face in her hands. Joe grabbed Barry's hand and quickly looked toward the door.

"Caitlin!"

Barry was still not seeing things clearly, his eyes shifting around the room.

"Barry!" Iris shouted with tears in her eyes, moving her eyes around in order to catch Barry's.

Barry finally focused in on her. His eyes relaxed slightly as he saw her sympathetic ones.

"Iris..?"

Iris smiled before she pulled Barry into a hug, the tightest she could manage. Barry felt his eyes well up, still looking around the room while he softly returned her embrace. Was he really out? He actually felt himself feel safe for the first time in days.

Barry looked at Joe, who was standing behind Iris, who had tears in his eyes as well. Joe was waiting for Iris to be done hugging Barry, but she wouldn't let go. Joe joined the two, unable to hold back any longer.

"I'm so happy to see you open your eyes, son." Joe said, tears hitting Barry's hair as they fell.

Caitlin and Wells ran in the room, expecting an emergency situation. Caitlin had tears as well at the realization that Barry was awake, Wells had a smile a mile wide.

Joe and Iris finally pulled away, Iris wiping a tear away from Barry's face, who gave her a teary smile.

Caitlin rushed to the bedside, embracing Barry as well. She pulled away and grabbed his shoulders, looking in his eyes.

"Are you okay? How's your breathing?" Her hand going to her pocket and pulling out a penlight before shining it in his eyes.

Barry nodded slowly.

"Just.. weak."

Wells grabbed Barry in a hug too, who returned it with a small smile. The shock of not being back in DeVoe's lair settling in.

Caitlin put the penlight away before whipping out a stethoscope and listening to his breathing. Clear, a little diminished, but clear.

Barry shifted awkwardly.

"What happened? The last thing I remember is..." Barry remembered DeVoe holding him down while Marlize stuck the IV in his arm. Barry felt himself getting nauseated at the memory.

"Just.. being knocked out." Barry finished, deciding to leave out the details. He looked down, the group knew immediately he didn't want to share.

"It was Cisco.. he found a way to breech to you and he and Oliver broke in and got you." Wells said.

Barry looked up at him.

"Oliver?" Barry scanned the room. "Where are they?"

Iris sighed.

"It's been hard for them to see you... they found you. I don't know, but they're usually standing right outside."

Barry looked past and didn't see them. He wondered where they were, why they weren't here. Barry thought of the condition they probably found him in.

"What about DeVoe?"

"Still out there. Our goal was just to save you." Joe said. Barry nodded but shifted uncomfortably.

"He'll be back." Barry said as he looked down.

"You think he'd be stupid enough to try? You got away, your powers will be back soon and now he knows we can get in and out of his lair."

Barry shook his head.

"He was obsessed. They both were."

—

Oliver fiddled around with the memory cards in his pocket, his mind racing with thoughts and emotions about why he really took them. Was it for evidence to take care of DeVoe the legal way? Was it because he thought Barry would want to decide what to do?

He took them out, revealing them to Cisco. Cisco looked confused.

"What are those?"

"I got them off of DeVoe's computer. There were camera's in Barry's room the whole time... It's footage of everything they did to him."

Cisco shuddered.

"Why did you take them?"

"I don't know. I figured maybe we could give them to Barry and he could decide what he wanted to do, put DeVoe away or go after him the old fashioned way."

Cisco let out a light laugh.

"We both know Barry is going to want to do the right thing."

Oliver put the memory cards down on the table and looked at Cisco.

"We'll see."

Caitlin quickly entered the room and said the words that Cisco and Oliver had been dying to here since they found Barry.

"He's awake." She said, a big smile on her face.

—

Oliver burst into the room, Barry sitting there with Iris, Joe, and Wells. Barry turned toward the door and saw Oliver standing there. Iris, Joe, and Wells moved aside as Oliver quickly walked to Barry and pulled him into a hug.

Barry laughed slightly.

"Thought you weren't really a hugger." Barry said, hugging Oliver back.

Oliver just hugged Barry tighter.

"Shut up... when we found you, you were in bad shape. We really thought you might not— Thank God, you're okay."

Joe, Iris, and Wells silently stepped out, wanting to give the boys time to talk. Oliver held on a bit longer before he finally pulled away.

Barry smiled at his friend. "So... how did you end up involved in this?"

"Your team called... they wanted Felicities help to hack into DeVoe's satellites and my help to save you."

Barry looked down.

"I don't know how to thank you."

"You don't have to thank me.."

"Yes I do."

Oliver put a hand on Barry's arm.

"No you don't. Whatever I have going on, I drop it all to protect the ones I love. I was only pissed they didn't call me sooner."

Barry nodded and smirked.

"You... love me? Aww..."

Oliver rolled his eyes.

"Barry, shut the hell up."

Barry laughed before he felt himself getting winded and laid his head back. Barry suddenly went into his thoughts, thinking back how he must have looked when Oliver and Cisco found him. Oliver saw Barry retreat into his head.

"You okay?" Oliver said, taking a seat next to his friend on the bed.

Barry shrugged.

"Give me a mutant shark or gorilla, or bank robber.. whatever. I can handle it... but Oliver.. these two? I really thought I was never going to get out."

Oliver nodded.

"But you did. That's all that matters."

Barry twiddles his fingers and looked at Oliver, the nerves showing. Oliver looked back, urging Barry to say what was on his mind.

"They're not going to stop. As soon as my powers come back— I just don't know if I can stop him. He's too powerful."

"Barry... I've seen you do incredible things. I know you can stop DeVoe— but maybe you don't have to."

Barry gave Oliver a confused look before another voice entered the room.

"..Barry?"

Oliver and Barry looked to the doorway, Cisco standing there with tears in his eyes. Barry let out a tearful smile when he saw him. Oliver smiled at Cisco and squeezed Barry's shoulder before he headed out of the room.

Cisco quickly jogged to Barry before grabbing him to a hug. Cisco said nothing, just embraced his friend.. his brother, unable to keep his tears at bay. Barry returned the hug with tears as well. He was happy to see everyone again, but Cisco managed to break through, managed to keep him hopeful where hope was something foreign. He was the only one who had seen, the only reason why Barry got away. How happy Barry was to see him was something he couldn't put words to.

"Thank God you're okay." Cisco said, not letting go. Barry continued hugging back just flashing back to hearing Cisco's voice while he was there. He was grateful Cisco was here.. really really here.

After a few minutes, the two finally separated.

"Barry... I'm so sorry for what you went through." Cisco said. Barry nodded.

"How did you vibe there? DeVoe said—"

Cisco went into his pocket and took out Barry's emblem from his original flash suit. Barry looked at it before looking at Cisco.

"This. It was my only connection to you over there... haven't been able to put it down since I first vibed with it." Cisco said with a light laugh. He squeezed it before handing it to Barry, who played with it before putting it down next to him.

"I don't even know what to say..."

Cisco shook his head.

"You don't have to say anything. Are you.. okay? I mean, really okay?"

Barry looked down, tears filling his eyes.

"I wouldn't have been able to escape, Cisco."

"Yes you would have... eventually you would have found a way."

"No, I wouldn't have. They..." Barry shook as he spoke. Cisco sat down next to Barry, a hand on his shoulder.

"You don't have to talk about this now—"

"No, it's okay.. you're the only one who saw some of it, the only one who might understand. I just wanna say this..."

Cisco nodded, urging Barry to continue.

"They didn't just take me away, they took everything from me. My powers, my freedom, all of you... my identity. They weren't even going to kill me they were... they were gonna like make me their—" Barry said, unable to even get the words out. It all sounded so insane.

"I know. I heard it." Cisco said, sympathetically.

Barry looked down, almost feeling embarrassed.

"That's what Marlize wanted anyway, I think DeVoe just wanted to destroy me, every bit of me. Cisco.. if you hadn't have somehow communicated with me right before the enlightenment would have happened, if you hadn't have been there... I'm afraid I would have given up."

Cisco shook his head.

"I don't believe that at all. Besides, you kept us fighting and we kept you fighting, that's what a team does right?"

Barry let out a small smile, twiddling his thumbs.

"Barry... you've gotten out of every bad situation life has put you in. This wouldn't have been any different, you would have found a way."

"How? I had no powers... they were on me 24/7, and even w— I wouldn't have gotten out of there without you."

Cisco just sighed.

"Well, consider it a long overdue return for the millions of times you saved me."

Barry nodded before taking a deep breath.

"So, how much of it did you see?"

"Just little glimpses, except for when I asked you to stall right before we stopped the enlightenment."

Barry remembered it all clearly, him turning Marlize and DeVoe against each other, DeVoe flipping out and attacking Barry, threatening him, using those insane sound powers, punching, kicking. Barry was shook back into reality by a hand on his shoulder.

He couldn't even look Cisco in the eye.

"Barry... you know you— Barry." Cisco said, squeezing his shoulder, trying to get Barry to look at him. Barry finally did, sadness in his eyes.

"You know you don't have any reason to feel bad or embarrassed or anything like that."

Barry had tears as he looked up at Cisco, confused.

"Cisco, I couldn't defend myself... AT ALL."

"Barry.. DeVoe has the power of 12 meta humans. Even as the Flash, with everything we have on our side, we have no idea how to stop him, IF we even CAN stop him." Cisco started, Barry listening.

Cisco continued.

"To make the odds even more impossible, he took your powers, you were Barry Allen. No speed, phasing, lightning bolts.. time travel. Only Barry. We both know there wasn't anything you could do..."

Barry nodded before his tired eyes closed for a moment. Cisco looked sympathetically at his friend.

"Why don't you get some rest—"

"I'm fine, really." Barry said, clearly exhausted.

"Water?" Cisco asked. Barry smiled and nodded. Cisco smiled back and ran to get the water, but by the time he got back, Barry was already out like a light. Cisco let out a small smile, set down the water on a table next to the bed, pulled over a chair, and sat down. Cisco stared at Barry, thinking back to everything DeVoe had done.. not just to Barry, but to Central City too.

Cisco almost didn't want to admit it, but he cared much more about what DeVoe did to Barry then what he did to Central City. DeVoe made it as personal as personal gets. He looked at Barry again.

"We're gonna get that son of a bitch."


	16. Fragile

A/N: Ummmm is there a chance anyone is still out there? LOL i actually completed this story so I'm going to post the rest but I'm not sure anyone is still around to read it! If anyone is, please enjoy!

 **Chapter 16: Fragile**

Cisco only sat for a few moments before Oliver and Iris walked in the room. Cisco passed them a smile before Iris pulled up a chair on the other side of Barry, taking his hand, and giving it a kiss. Oliver pulled a chair up as well, taking a seat next to Cisco.

"How long has he been asleep?" Oliver asked, looking sympathetically at Barry, who looked exhausted, even while sleeping.

"Just a few minutes. I went to grab him a glass of water and by the time I got back, he was out."

Cisco and Oliver caught Iris just staring at Barry with sadness and concern.

"How are you holding up?"

Iris looked at Oliver and smiled slightly.

"I'm okay.. just glad he's out of there and now we know he'll be okay since he's woken up but.. Barry feels like DeVoe is going to try something again and I agree. We can't let him near Barry again."

Oliver looked at her with seriousness and determination present in his eyes.

"There's no way that's going to happen. I promise."

Iris smiled and nodded.

"I just wish we had a sure way to get rid of DeVoe. Even with everything he's done, I know Barry would still want to do it the right way, he's just so powerful now."

Oliver passed Cisco a look who nodded in his direction.

"Maybe there's away to get DeVoe locked up in the meta human section of Iron Heights, the legal way."

Iris looked confused.

"The legal way?"

"DeVoe had cameras all over his lair, including in the room he kept Barry in. I saw the memory card the videos were being uploaded to and took it. Everything has to be on there... everything he did to Barry. We could turn it over?"

Iris shifted in her chair at the realization that there was video footage at all, but she shook her head in Oliver's direction.

"I don't think Barry would want the world to know or see what happened, besides, we couldn't hand it over anyway. Barry is in his Flash suit the whole time. His identity would be revealed. It would just cause a whole other mess of problems."

Oliver nodded, he hadn't even thought of that.

"So we find a way to overpower DeVoe and throw him in the pipeline."

Cisco nodded but sighed.

"It won't be easy. He has the powers of every bus meta... and then his own super brain powers AND his wife, who is also some crazy super genius."

"We'll find a way." Iris said, her mind still half on the fact that there was video. A part of her wanted to see what happened and a part of her didn't. She ultimately decided she would let Barry decide what they should do with the footage, including whether or not he wanted her to see it. She hoped the others would do the same.

"How do you know?" Cisco asked, his hope sounding diminished.

Iris looked at Cisco and then looked at Barry, imaging how scared and broken and hopeless he must have been while being locked up with DeVoe. Now he was here and recovering, and it was their job to protect him.

"Because we have to. There's no other choice."

Iris, Cisco, and Oliver silently looked at each other before Oliver broke the silence.

"Let's uh... let's let him rest and go talk about options. Now that the video's out, we need some new ideas. New plan." Oliver said standing to take his leave. Cisco lagged behind, finally leaving the room, Iris kissing Barry on the forehead before following Cisco and Oliver out.

Seconds later, Barry slowly opened his eyes. Unknown to Iris, Cisco, and Oliver, Barry had heard their conversation in its entirety... including the part about the video.

Barry felt his heart drop to his stomach at the realization. He didn't want anyone to see what happened.. but he wanted DeVoe put away and the police on his side would be a great help. But he couldn't out his secret to everyone... why did he have to be in his damn flash suit?

It didn't matter anyway, even if he wasn't wearing the suit, he didn't want the footage out there. Barry didn't get much sleep after that... his mind heavy with everything that happened. He wouldn't admit to anyone else, but he was terrified DeVoe would be back... the scariest part being it wasn't a matter of if he would be back, simply a matter of time.

—

DeVoe was pacing around in front of the main computers for almost an hour. How had his plan, both of his plans, gone down to the tubes so horribly? First with the enlightenment.. now he's lost Barry too. He should have killed Team Flash the moment he got the opportunity, instead he thought it would be smart to hold them as leverage against Barry. Not only that.. but Oliver or Cisco took the footage, so now he couldn't even figure out how they got in.

"Damn it..." DeVoe said, squeezing a chair in front of him in aggravation.

Marlize walked back into the room, a pair of meta handcuffs in her hand. With a sigh, she laid them down on the desk in front of her husband.

"There's no way in or out of here... including the breeches. The only reason yours works is because this is your home... a part of your home. You're connection here is strong."

"Well.. obviously, Mr. Ramone somehow breeched in."

Marlize nodded.

"The same way your connection to this place allows you to breech in and out, the same could go for... a person."

DeVoe nodded, putting the pieces together in his mind.

"So, if Cisco's connection to Barry was strong enough, he could breech here to, not necessarily to this place, but to Barry."

"How the hell are we supposed to prevent that?"

Marlize shrugged.

"Kill Team Flash. They can't breech in if there's no one that has the ability to breech."

—

A few hours later, Barry was anxious to get home. All he wanted to do was go to sleep in an actual bed, not the one in the medical bay at STAR Labs. Unfortunately, his powers were only just starting to return and everyone was too nervous have Barry go home.

"Look.. I know you're all trying to protect me but, I just want to be in an actual bed."

Everyone immediately started to object. Barry rubbed his head.

"Why don't you come to Star City for a few week— days. Just days." Oliver said, stopping himself when he saw Barry about to object to "weeks".

"Oliver... I appreciate it but—"

"Barry stop!" Joe yelled, everyone jumping slightly, Barry looking at his surrogate father, shock taking over the tiredness he was feeling. Joe walked closer to Barry.

"That man kidnapped you, tortured you, took your powers... and Oliver and Cisco got you out of there, so hurt and out of it, we were worried you wouldn't even wake up!"

"Joe.." Barry started, the rest of the room staying quiet.

"I'M NOT LOSING YOU AGAIN. You don't want to stay in STAR Labs, fine. You will stay at my house and everyone can come there."

"J—"

"Enough, Barry. That's what we're doing." Joe said, sternly before swiftly leaving.

Barry awkwardly looked around before Oliver let out a light laugh.

"Yikes."

Barry shook his head.

"You guys don't all have to come."

Cisco didn't even acknowledge Barry's words as he picked up his bag slung over the chair nearby.

"I'll get my things."

"Me too." Caitlin said, following Cisco.

"You guys can catch a ride with me." Oliver said, pointing to Iris and Wells.

"Oliver... you have to get back to Star City."

"Shut up and no I don't. Felicity will call me if I'm needed. I'd offer you a ride, but something tells me you'll be riding with Joe." Oliver said as he cracked a small smile before leaving.

Iris squeezed Barry's hand as Wells clasped his shoulder.

"See you at the house, babe." Iris said, as she walked out of the medical bay.

Joe came in a few seconds later, a bag of Barry's stuff in hand. Barry gave a sideways smile before he slowly swung his legs over the bed. Joe quickly came to his side, grabbing his arm.

"Feel okay?" Joe asked. Barry nodded.

"A little dizzy, I think from just the drugs and not eating much and stuff."

"Have you tried to eat?"

Barry shook his head.

"I haven't really been able to keep anything down."

Joe nodded.

"Well.. I have crackers and ginger-ale at the house."

Barry smiled.

"Thanks." He said, as he started walking out. Joe grabbed his arm and Barry turned to him.

"Barry... I—" Joe stopped talking and immediately grabbed Barry in a massive hug. Barry returned it with a smile. Joe held the hug longer than Barry anticipated, which made Barry smile a bit more.

"Joe.. I'm okay."

"I know this is going to be a big pain in the ass...but you are not leaving my sight for at least the next 4 years."

Barry laughed before another voice rang in the air, one that made Barry's heart drop right down to his stomach. DeVoe's voice rang through STAR Labs as Joe quickly stood in front of Barry.

"Oh.. but he won't be leaving MY sight for the rest of his life."


End file.
